Sustained, soaking rainfalls across Central Australia this week have set dry rivers and creeks flowing and greened the red country.
But the heavy rain has also wreaked havoc, stalling services to remote communities and leaving flood damage in its wake.
A truck carrying supplies to the community store at Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa) south-east of Alice Springs was pulled out of a spectacular bog on Friday morning after getting stuck the day before.
Atyenhenge Atherre Aboriginal Corporation (AAAC) chief executive Ellie Kamara said the community had been calling for food to be airdropped after not receiving a delivery for two weeks.
"We're still not out of the woods, it will still be a struggle," Ms Kamara said.
"We'll still keep the restrictions on food to two of each item per person, because we didn't get the full order and we don't want to be out of food by Monday."
'Please work with us'
Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the delivery had gone ahead against police advice to wait 12 hours until the road would be passable.
"The broader issue is, that truck has now caused significant damage to the road to Santa Teresa," he said.
"We have had some disruptions to the supply chain which has been re-established.
Police in the Southern Region Command said they were meeting twice daily to discuss the situation in remote communities.
Plea for airdrops
Foodbank provides stock to more than 50 charities, community groups and schools in Central Australia.
Chief executive Greg Pattinson said the Alice Springs branch only had enough food until "maybe" Monday, after supplies were bolstered by a donation from the local Coles supermarket.
Mr Pattinson said the NT government's refusal to ask the Federal government to airlift food to replenish Foodbank's stocks reflected a misunderstanding about how the organisation operated.
"It does show that there is a clear lack of understanding, or a lack of awareness between food that's going to the retail sector and the community stores, versus food that is required for food relief activities."
Record rains
According to the Bureau of Meterology, Alice Springs experienced its wettest ever start to the year.
"We're actually sitting at about 400 per cent of what we would normally have for this time of year," senior forecaster, Sally Cutter said.
Alice Springs recorded 130 millimetres of rain during January, and had already received 110 millimetres in February, almost three times the month's average of 41 millimetres.
A 50-year-old man drowned while swimming in floodwaters at Seven Mile Bridge, north of Tennant Creek.
Northern Territory police airlifted six people stranded in rising flood waters west of Alice Springs on Tuesday.
The Stuart Highway in the NT was open on Thursday and inspections were underway across the remaining sealed and unsealed road network.
According to Road Report NT, the majority of secondary and remote roads across Central Australia were impassable due to flooded creeks and river crossings, and pavement damage.
Popular destination closed
The manager of Standley Chasm, in the West MacDonnell Ranges said flooding had washed away sections of the bitumen road and the tore up the walking trail leading to the popular tourist destination.
"I grew up here ... and I spoke to a couple of my aunties. Never ever has any family member seen it this bad," Nova Pomare said.
Ms Pomare said the flooding had toppled trees and ruined most of the infrastructure around the car park and the seating area at the cafe.
"The bottom half of the car park was like tidal waves ... there was water all through our shop (and) kitchen.
"We've got a really big job ahead of us. It could take a couple of weeks to get us back open again," Ms Pomare said.
"It's pretty devastating, but saying that, the creek is beautiful."
