About Lake Eyre |
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Lake Eyre covers an area of nearly 10,000 square kilometres - about the size of Holland. It is Australia's largest salt lake, and the 13th largest lake in the world. Lake Eyre is made up of Lake Eyre North and South. Lake Eyre North is the lowest point in Australia - 15 metres below sea level. It is the focal point of the vast Lake Eyre basin, and was named after Edward John Eyre, the first European to sight the lake in 1840.
Past flood events
Lake Eyre has filled to capacity only 3 times in 160 years. The last time was in 1974. Water reaches the lake on average every 4-5 years, but not with any real volume. It is unlikely to fill to capacity in 2010, even though it's a very significant flood event. Rest assured that most of the surface will be covered with water, which is a spectacular sight.Land Speed Record
In 1964 Donald Campbell set a land speed record of 403mph on Lake Eyre North. For the final 3rd of the measured mile, Campbell averaged 429mph, a record that was not broken by a wheel driven car until 2001.
The area that Campbell chose for the world speed record was Madigan Gulf. You will visit Madigan Gulf on our 4WD tour to the edge of Lake Eyre North.
The Lake Eyre Yacht Club
The LEYC is a dedicated group of enthusiasts who sail on Lake Eyre's floods. Formed in April 2000 it aims to:- Collect and disseminate accurate information about Lake Eyre
- Provide support for those wishing to go boating on Lake Eyre
- Hold boating events on Lake Eyre, when circumstances permit
The Lake Eyre Basin
The Lake Eyre Basin covers one sixth of the Australian continent - about 1.2 million square kilometres. It's one of the largest internally draining systems in the world. The Lake Eyre basin stretches as far north as Camooweal and as far west as Alice Springs. It includes large parts of South Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and some of western New South Wales. Lake Eyre is the fifth largest terminal lake in the world.
