Abstract
This paper critically reviews the relevant published literature on rainfall simulators. This was done to identify the most important design requirements for the fabrication of rainfall simulators, and to direct the development of a new rainfall simulator at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. The paper also presents results of an experimental investigation into the spatial uniformity of naturally occurring rainfall distribution patterns. The review results suggest that the characteristics of natural rainfall events are not comprehensively understood, and that there is much scope for increased research knowledge in this area.