Australian salt lake floods into life
24th June 2010
It may have spectacularly flooded in 2009 – but it looks as though Australia’s Lake Eyre will be even better, and wetter, this year.
Following heavy rains in Queensland and New South Wales, Lake Eyre – a vast expanse of salt crust in South Australia– is quickly filling with floodwaters. The rebirth of Australia’s largest salt lake, which has only filled to the brim three times in the last 150 years, has transformed an arid dustbowl into a lush water basin.
The rising water level has enticed huge bird colonies to the region. But as well as grey teals, black-tailed and red-backed kingfishers flocking to the lake, thirsty camels, donkeys, horses, kangaroos, emus and dingos have also set up camp.
Lake Eyre isn’t the only area of Australia that has been transformed by the floodwaters. “I honestly have never seen the South Australian Outback this green from the air, and I have been flying over it for the last 10 years,” reports James Reeves, Managing Director of Banksia Adventures.
But this luscious scenery may not be around for long, warns Reeves. “From the ground it is evident that there is a race and a small window of opportunity for flora and fauna to reproduce. It will be interesting to witness over the coming months as the water level peaks and then begins to recede.”
So if you want to experience Lake Eyre teaming with life, visit between now and September before this newfound flora bites the dust.