Damon Mcknight
Lake Eyre, also known as Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, is a great salt lake in central South Australia. It is located around 700 kilometres north of Adelaide and is the largest salt lake in Australia. The lake was named after Edward John Eyre, the first European to see it in 1840. The area has a rich Aboriginal history and is of great cultural significance to the Arabana and Dieri people.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern South Australia, about 700 km (430 mi) north of Adelaide |
| Size | 9,000 km2 (3,500 sq mi) or 4,281 sq mi (11,088 sq km) |
| Basin | The Lake Eyre Basin is one of the world's largest internally draining river systems, spanning 1.2 million km2 (almost one-sixth of Australia) |
| Basin Includes | Large parts of South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, and a small portion of New South Wales |
| Basin Features | Braided channels, floodplains, claypans, waterholes, wetlands, and permanent waterholes |
| Basin Vegetation | Desert-adapted plants such as mulga, saltbush, spinifex, and Mitchell grass |
| Basin Management | The Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement outlines how to maintain the health of the basin |
| Lake Type | Great salt lake, the largest in Australia |
| Lake Depth | 15 m (49 ft) below sea level, the lowest natural point in Australia |
| Lake Flooding | Experiences a small (1.5 m) flood every 3 years, a large (4 m) flood every 10 years, and fills completely an average of twice a century |
| Lake Water Sources | Rivers from the northeast (in Queensland) and heavy rains |
| Lake Evaporation | High evaporation rates, with an average annual rate of 2.5 m and an average annual rainfall of 100-150 mm |
| Lake Bed | A thin salt crust that thickens in the southern portions, reaching 46 cm |
| Lake Speed Records | Site of land speed record attempts, including Donald Campbell's 1964 record of 400+ mph (644+ km/h) in Bluebird II |
| Lake Naming | Named after Edward John Eyre, the first European to see it in 1840; officially renamed in 2012 to include its Aboriginal Arabana name, Kati Thanda |
| Lake Cultural Significance | Holds deep spiritual significance for the Arabana people and is important for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal history |
| Lake National Park | Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park, established in partnership with the Arabana and Dieri people |
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What You'll Learn
Lake Eyre is in South Australia
The lake was named in honour of Edward John Eyre, the first European to see it in 1840. It was officially renamed in 2012 to include its Aboriginal Arabana name, Kati Thanda. The native title over most of the lake and the surrounding region is held by the Arabana people, with the eastern portion allocated to the Dieri people. The lake is one of the most important sites for waterbirds in Australia and holds deep spiritual significance for the Arabana people.
Lake Eyre is normally dry, filling completely only about twice in a century. The lake is fed by a vast internal continental drainage basin, but high evaporation rates in the region cause most of the rivers in the basin to dry up before reaching the lake. The lake's water levels mainly depend on the annual monsoon and how much rain falls in its catchment in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The Lake Eyre Basin is a large endorheic (internally draining) system surrounding the lakebed. It is one of the world's largest internally draining river systems, spanning almost one-sixth of Australia. The basin includes large parts of South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, and a small portion of western New South Wales.
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It is the largest salt lake in Australia
Lake Eyre, officially known as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is the largest salt lake in Australia. It is also Australia's largest inland lake. It is situated in the deserts of central Australia, in northern South Australia, around 700 km (430 mi) north of Adelaide. The lake covers over 9,000 km2 (3,500 sq mi) and is the depocentre of the vast endorheic Lake Eyre basin. The lake is most often empty, filling partially only when flooding occurs upstream in Channel Country.
The lake is the lowest natural point in Australia, at approximately 15 m (49 ft) below sea level. The −15 m (−49 ft) altitude refers to the deepest parts of the lake floor, in Belt Bay and the Madigan Gulf. The shoreline lies at −9 m (−30 ft). The salinity in the lake increases as the 450 mm (18 in) salt crust dissolves over a period of six months of a major flood, resulting in a massive fish kill. The thin salt crust thickens in the lake's southern portions, where it is as much as 18 inches (46 cm) thick.
Lake Eyre is normally dry; it fills completely only twice in a century on average, but partial fillings happen more often. When completely filled (as in 1950, 1974, and 1984), the lake takes about two years to dry up again. The lake is fed by a vast internal continental drainage basin, but evaporation rates in the region are high, causing most of the rivers in the basin to dry up before reaching the lake. The water in the lake evaporates very rapidly, leaving a thin crust of salt deposited by the evaporated water.
The lake was named in honour of Edward John Eyre, the first European to see it in 1840. It was officially renamed in December 2012 to include its Aboriginal Arabana name, Kati Thanda. The lake is one of the most important sites for waterbirds in Australia and has been the location of several attempts at creating a land speed record.
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The lake is normally dry
Lake Eyre, or Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is normally dry. The lake fills completely only about twice in a century, but partial fillings happen more often. When the lake is full, it takes about two years to dry up again.
The lake is located in the deserts of central Australia, in northern South Australia, around 700 km north of Adelaide. It is the lowest point on the Australian continent, with its bed sitting as much as 17 meters below sea level. The region surrounding the lake has very low and intermittent rainfall, receiving less than 5 inches (125 mm) annually on average.
The lake is fed by a vast internal continental drainage basin, but the high evaporation rates in the region cause most of the rivers in the basin to dry up before reaching the lake. The lake's salt crust thickens in its southern portions, where it can reach a thickness of 18 inches (46 cm).
The lake is of great cultural significance to the Arabana people, who hold the native title over most of the lake and its surrounding region. The Dieri people have long ties to the eastern portion of the lake. Explorers in the 1860s described the lake as "terrible in its death-like stillness and the vast expanse of its unbroken sterility".
Despite normally being dry, the lake is one of the most important sites for waterbirds in Australia, and its flooding attracts an abundance of wildlife.
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It is named after Edward John Eyre
Lake Eyre is located in the deserts of central Australia, in northern South Australia. It is named after Edward John Eyre, an English land explorer of the Australian continent, colonial administrator, Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand's New Munster province, and Governor of Jamaica.
Edward John Eyre was born on 5 August 1815 in Whipsnade, Bedfordshire, England. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Hornsea, Yorkshire, England. He was the son of Rev. Anthony William Eyre and Sarah (née Mapleton). After completing his grammar school education, he moved to the colonial settlement of Sydney, Australia, instead of joining the army or pursuing a university education. He gained experience in the new land and became a flock owner when he bought 400 lambs before turning 18. In December 1837, Eyre embarked on a journey to drive 1,000 sheep and 600 cattle overland from Monaro, New South Wales, to Adelaide, South Australia.
In 1838, he assembled an expedition of 300 cattle at Limestone Plains and set out for Adelaide. He was joined by his overseer, John Baxter, who later accompanied him on several exploring expeditions. In 1840, Edward John Eyre became the first European to see Lake Eyre, and it was subsequently named in his honour. He explored the desert northwest of Adelaide and made a hazardous journey around the Great Australian Bight from June 1840 to July 1841. During this expedition, he encountered extreme terrain and lack of water, as well as harsh weather conditions.
Edward John Eyre's influence extended beyond his explorations. He played a role in the political landscape of the colonies, particularly in Jamaica. His actions in Jamaica, where he served as acting governor and then governor, sparked controversy and led to debates about excessive reprisals and calls for his trial. He also held positions in New Zealand and the Leeward Islands, where his relationships with other administrators were not always positive.
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Lake Eyre is a site for land speed record attempts
Lake Eyre, officially known as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is a great salt lake in the deserts of central South Australia. It is one of the largest endorheic systems in the world, stretching across around 15% of the Australian landmass, including parts of South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, and a small part of New South Wales. The lake is normally dry, filling completely only about twice in a century, and is characterised by a thin salt crust that thickens in its southern portions.
Due to its vast, dry, and extremely level salt crust, Lake Eyre has been a site for various land speed record attempts, especially in the 1960s. The lake offers a course of up to 20 miles (32 km) long, which is significantly longer than the 11-mile (18 km) course at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, another popular venue for land speed record attempts. The hard and flat surface provided by the salt crust is ideal for high-speed attempts, as it allows for greater stability and control at high speeds.
One of the most notable land speed record attempts at Lake Eyre was made by British speed record breaker Donald Campbell in the 1960s. Campbell chose Lake Eyre as the venue for his record attempt because of its vast dry salt bed and the length of the course it offered. In 1963 and 1964, Campbell made several attempts to break the land speed record with his Bluebird-Proteus CN7 vehicle. Despite facing challenges due to weather conditions and sponsorship issues, Campbell persevered and finally achieved a land speed record of 403.10 mph (648.73 km/h) for a four-wheeled vehicle on July 17, 1964.
Campbell's record-breaking achievement was captured in a series of well-known images by photographers, including Australia's Jeff Carter. However, he was disappointed with the record speed as the Bluebird-Proteus CN7 vehicle had been designed for speeds of up to 500 mph (800 km/h). Campbell's record was short-lived, as rule changes by the FIA allowed pure jet cars to set records from October 1964, and his speed was surpassed by an American, Art Arfon, who drove at 536.71 mph in a jet car. Nevertheless, Campbell remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year (1964).
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Frequently asked questions
Lake Eyre is located in the deserts of central Australia, in northern South Australia.
Lake Eyre covers over 9,000 km2 (3,500 sq mi) or 4,281 square miles (11,088 square km).
Lake Eyre is the largest salt lake in Australia and is one of the most important sites for waterbirds in the country. It is also a site for land speed record attempts.
Lake Eyre was first sighted by a European in 1840. It was named after English explorer and British colonial official Edward John Eyre. The Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park was established in 1985.
Lake Eyre fills completely only twice in a century on average. Minor fillings happen more often.
