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ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
At Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, an 'inland tsunami' is making a sea
Australia's biggest lake is believed to have reached capacity on only three occasions in the past 160 years, but the mass of floodwater now flowing into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is raising hope, as well as river levels. On maps of Australia, the great inland salt lakes are often shaded in blue. The colour suggests the presence of water, which can be misleading, especially for the biggest of those lakes. The lake covers more than 9,000 square kilometres. ( ABC News: Stephen Opie ) For all but a fraction of the past century, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre has mostly been an expanse of dry, crusty salt. Surrounded by sandy soil, the lake is covered in crusty salt. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) About 700 kilometres north of Adelaide, and 400km from the nearest coast, the lake sits below sea level in an area of extremely low rainfall. The salty surface of the lake shimmers with heat. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) South of the Simpson Desert and surrounded by sandy soil, the lake stretches to the horizon, shimmering with the heat reflecting off the sun-baked surface. But that's all about to change, because Kati Thanda is once more starting to live up to its reputation — not just as a lake, but as an inland sea. Floodwaters caused by record-breaking rainfall are flowing from south-west Queensland into north-east South Australia, and making their way into the lake. "What you're seeing, especially in the evening if you're flying past it, is this reflection of glass — or a mirror with the sun going down," says outback pilot Trevor Wright. "It's the most [water] I've seen in the Channel Country since I've been up there." Trevor Wright is an outback pilot and tourism operator whose business includes flights over Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) The tourism operator has previously likened the broad upswell of water to an "inland tsunami". "I think there were two things that really hit me more than anything: the speed it was travelling at, and the sheer area it was covering," Mr Wright says. Altitude offers perspective, as Mr Wright knows only too well — but it's not necessarily from the cockpit that the full picture emerges. NASA satellite images from the past fortnight show the water's slow but steady spread. At first appearing as a mere trickle, the water bleeds across the lake's surface, turning the white to brackish brown. It's an illustration of the fact that the lake is also the final destination for water across the 1.2 million square kilometres of the Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre Basin. That last word is fitting in more ways than one, because the lake acts as a giant sink, drawing water towards it from across a broad area of rivers, creeks, channels and flood plains. The deepest part of the lake is more than 15 metres below sea level. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) At its deepest — 15.2 metres below sea level — it is the lowest natural place on the surface of Australia. "What's coming into the lake and how quickly it's started to cover the lake and fill the lake has been mind-boggling," Mr Wright says. "It's the rebirthing or the re-flourishing of the environment and it's just a complete and utter exuberance of life." According to South Australia's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre has filled to capacity just three times in the past 160 years. Partial fills happen every so often, but are less spectacular. The benchmark is the 1974 flood — an event that Bobby Hunter remembers fondly. Yankunytjatjara man Bobby Hunter was 18 years old at the time of the 1974 flood. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Mr Hunter vividly recalls the time the arid landscape was transformed. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) He remembers the lake in 1974 as being like a sea in which a "ship might come along". ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) The Yankunytjatjara man was just 18 years old when the lake last received a total fill and flooded to a depth of six metres. The arid landscape was transformed into an outback oasis, turning the land a lush green and attracting diverse wildlife. Among Mr Hunter's strongest memories are the birds that flocked to the lake, especially the pelicans. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "It was an incredible time," Mr Hunter says of the 1974 flood. "As the months and that went by, the lake was as blue as the sea by July and August. "You sort of imagine a ship might come along in a minute or something. "After a while, [we] got a lot of pelicans, thousands and thousands of them. "A lot of fish had started coming down, the first animals [to] really come around, I think, were seagulls, you had all sorts of different birds." Travis Gotch is a district ranger with South Australia's National Parks and Wildlife Service. ( ABC News: Guido Salazar ) NPWS district ranger Travis Gotch expects the upcoming fill to produce similar effects. "The exciting bit is the ecology as the water level comes up," he says. The edge of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre at Halligan Bay. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "Fish are already breeding up in the river systems and coming down with the rivers. Small plants are clustered by the edge of the lake. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "The lake will go relatively fresh, and then it'll go to salt [water]. Insects have found the lake to be fertile ground. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "You also get a whole heap of macroinvertebrates and other crustaceans, and they're forming up and building up in huge numbers in those river systems and then into the lake itself." Flocking to the lake For people who haven't before visited Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre — or outback South Australia — it can be hard to appreciate just how remote the area is. Marree is a small town south of the lake that acts as an outback crossroads. A map of South Australia's outback showing the townships of Marree and William Creek, the Outback Highway, Oodnadatta Track, Birdsville Track and Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Stephan Hammat ) It is at the northern end of the Outback Highway, and at the junction of the Oodnadatta and Birdsville tracks. On the road between Marree and William Creek. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Once you leave Marree for Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, the Oodnadatta Track is unsealed. Road signs warn drivers of the dangers of outback travel. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) The local hotel advises visitors to travel with water and a torch, and warns them to be aware of the scorching daytime heat, "damn cold" conditions at night, and unreliable phone coverage. The 200km trek from Marree to William Creek — which is considered the "gateway" to the lake — follows the unforgiving and unsealed Oodnadatta Track. Online travel guides recommend using a four-wheel drive to navigate the unsealed road. More than 60km from the edge of the lake, William Creek is nevertheless the closest town to Halligan Bay, which is one of the few public lookouts. Trevor Wright, who has been offering scenic flights over the lake since the early 2000s, owns the local pub — an establishment that bills itself as one of the world's most remote hotels. Food and supplies are delivered once a week. Based at William Creek, Mr Wright operates flights over Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) A light plane on the red dirt of William Creek, alongside several parked cars. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Mr Wright owns the William Creek Hotel, which is popular with tourists. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Flying above Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre almost every day in peak tourist season, Mr Wright is intimately familiar with the landscape, its changing moods, and its fluctuating fortunes. At the start of 2025, he was considering scaling back his business because of a lack of visitors. The airport at William Creek. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "We were looking at really closing up and cutting down, and just operating at a very basic level," he says. But the water has made all the difference — not only is it rejuvenating the landscape, it's also replenishing local tourism. Mr Wright pilots flights over Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, but says business was looking grim at the start of the year. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "You saw it coming towards South Australia — that's when I realised that, 'Hey, we could be in for a major tourist event'," Mr Wright says. "What it's actually done is it's kept people's jobs, because [people] are needed in hospitality, tourism or even just in maintenance." Tim Taylor delivers aviation fuel to remote areas of South Australia including William Creek, and is here pictured at the town's hotel. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Truck driver Tim Taylor delivers aviation fuel to remote areas, and is feeling the flow-on impact. "In the summertime, like anywhere out here, there's just no tourists because it's just too hot," he says. "But when there's water in that lake and it's come tourist season, that's when it fires right up — and it's hard to keep up with it, it's just that much." Despite the lake's remoteness, tourists eager to see it and get a taste of outback life have already started to make the pilgrimage. "We like to see a lot of these out-of-the-way sort of places, so this has ticked a box for us," says Brisbane tourist Glenn, who had stopped off at the hotel. Patrons inside the William Creek Hotel. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Brisbane man Glenn, who enjoys travelling to remote places, was drawn to William Creek. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Anita had gone to Airlie Beach for a wedding and was given the opportunity to travel home via William Creek and Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) Melbourne woman Anita was on her way back from a wedding in Airlie Beach in Queensland, and decided to go via the lake. "It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful — the blue colour and the terrain is amazing," she says. Protecting a special place The Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre Basin stretches across almost one-sixth of Australia, including parts of South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, and a small part of New South Wales. It is one of the world's largest internally draining river systems, meaning its water doesn't reach the ocean. Instead, the water flows into the lake and when it stops flowing, it evaporates. The lake, which covers more than 9,000 square kilometres, was named after English explorer Edward John Eyre who documented the area in 1840. An engraving by George French Angas showing explorers at Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. ( Trove/George French Angas ) Its vastness appears to have overwhelmed early European explorers. In a 1906 book on central Australia, British geologist John Walter Gregory noted that while some characterised the area as "a fertile land of lakes" others described it as a "desert of the worst type". The surface of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre stretches into the distance. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "Lake Eyre was dry — terrible in its death-like stillness and the vast expanse of its unbroken sterility," wrote explorer Peter Egerton Warburton in the 1860s. While Warburton found it difficult to tell "whether I saw before me earth, water or sky", Gregory described the area "as of especial importance in the natural science" of the continent. "For Lake Eyre, with its coasts and estuaries, was once the living heart of Australia," he wrote. For the Arabana people, who were granted native title over land covering most of the lake in 2012, it holds deep spiritual significance in Arabana dreaming. "This extensive legal process recognised in Australian law what Arabana people had always known — that they had always been connected [to] this country, and that their connection had remained unbroken since the arrival of Europeans," the lake's new management plan states. The Dieri people were recognised as the native title holders over the eastern portion of the lake, which was renamed in its entirety in 2012 to include the Arabana term "Kati Thanda". A sign on the edge of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre advises tourists to be aware of potential hazards. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) The landscape's cultural and ecological significance is protected by laws and regulations — some old, some new — which restrict recreational activities, including swimming, boating, driving and landing aircraft. The rules are, at least in part, intended to protect airborne arrivals of an entirely different kind. Mr Gotch says the lake is about to host a "major breeding event" among migratory birds. ( ABC News: Guido Salazar ) "We've got a number of birds obviously breeding on the islands [in the lake]," Mr Gotch says. "You've got birds that are flying all the way from Siberia to undertake a major breeding event that are listed as endangered globally. "They don't want to be being bothered and we're trying to keep that sustained for them and protected as well." Will the lake reach 1974 levels? It's not uncommon to hear flows into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre described as a "once-in-a-lifetime" event. The claim should always be taken with a pinch of salt — previous partial fills have been as recent as 2019 and 2010. An image from the National Archives of Australia showing a boat on Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in 1975. ( Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia/NAA: A6135, K27/5/75/106 ) But the big question on many locals' lips is, will this year's big fill be as big as the flood of 1974? The headquarters of the Lake Eyre Yacht Club in Marree. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) At the Lake Eyre Yacht Club, which is headquartered in Marree, commodore Bob Backway is doubtful the event will be on that scale. "The lake won't fill," he says. Bob Backway believes the fill won't be on the scale of 1974, but that it will nevertheless be impressive. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) "To fill, basically, all hell has to break loose. South Australia is in drought at the moment. "It's not going to be anything like 1974." That might be described as the "lake half-empty" perspective — but Mr Backway also takes a "lake half-full" view. "It'll be the biggest flood we've had since 1989 when it got to 3.6 metres deep," he says. "We've got a very big flood — the biggest flood I've seen on the Warburton River — but that will probably fill the lake to about 2.5 metres deep, which still means that 3,500 square kilometres will be covered." Cars at Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in 1975. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. ( NAA: A6135, K27/5/75/101 ) A person fishing at, and a boat on, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre during the flood of the mid-1970s. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. ( NAA: A6135, K11/7/75/6 ) A boat on Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in 1975. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. ( NAA: A6135, K27/5/75/97 ) Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre during the 1974 flood. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. ( NAA: A6135, K25/9/74/1 ) Mr Gotch also believes the incoming water will fall short of the 1974 level. "My gut feel is it will be roughly around the same level as the 2010 floods, which will sort of put it up, you know, a couple of metres deep," he says. "We'll have water in the lake for six to 12 months, depending on how hot the summer is." Bobby Hunter says locals at Mungeranie have been placing bets on the water level. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) At a small community in north-eastern SA, locals have been placing bets on the water level. "They've all chucked in $10 at Mungeranie," Bobby Hunter says. Mr Hunter says there needs to be good rain on both sides of the border. ( ABC News: Sarah Maunder ) While Mr Hunter agrees the flood of 1974 is unlikely to be matched this time round, he's open-minded. "You need two years [of rain] and everybody knows there was the big rain in Queensland, but you need a lot of local rain too," he says. The extent of the upcoming fill remains unclear. ( ABC News: Stephen Opie ) "It might take another year. "Who knows what might happen?" Credits Authors: Sarah Maunder and Daniel Keane Reporting: Sarah Maunder and Isabella Carbone Digital production: Daniel Keane Photography: Sarah Maunder, Stephen Opie and Guido Salazar Graphics: Stephan Hammat Drone footage: Stephen Opie Video production: Amanda Kerr Additional videos and photos: Trevor Wright, ABC Archives, National Archives of Australia, NASA Worldview, Trove Editing: Jessica Haynes
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Watch: Flood waters rapidly fill Australia's Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre
Satellite imagery has captured Australia's Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre filling rapidly throughout May following rains that heavily impacted parts of Queensland and New South Wales. The lake, which covers the lowest natural point in Australia - around 15m (49ft) below sea level - is normally dry. It only fills during periods of heavy rain with the water gradually evaporating to leave salt pans - hence the white appearance of the lake on the initial shots. While flooding has been widespread across parts of eastern Australia recently many in nearby South Australia and Victoria remain in the grips of drought. Climate scientists say these extremes have all the hall marks of a warming planet.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
WATCH: Australia's Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre fills rapidly after historic rainfall.
Satellite imagery has captured Australia's Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre filling rapidly throughout May following rains that heavily impacted parts of Queensland and New South lake, which covers the lowest natural point in Australia - around 15m (49ft) below sea level - is normally dry. It only fills during periods of heavy rain with the water gradually evaporating to leave salt pans - hence the white appearance of the lake on the initial flooding has been widespread across parts of eastern Australia recently many in nearby South Australia and Victoria remain in the grips of scientists say these extremes have all the hall marks of a warming planet.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Rush to see rare Aussie phenomenon sparks major safety warning
Tourists and travellers hoping to catch a glimpse of an incredible natural phenomenon sweeping across massive parts of the country's south have been warned that any trip to spectate "requires careful planning and preparation". South Australia's Department of Environment reported last week that 600 to 1000 gigalitres of water are flowing into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in South Australia from western Queensland, after a 2,000 kilometre band of rain swept across the country in March. The deluge saw parts of the Queensland outback go underwater, with residents cut off for weeks. Now the water is spilling into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, which has only filled to capacity three times in the past 160 years. The full inundation is expected to breathe life back into the salt lake's crust, its wildlife, and the surrounding vegetation. As floodwaters arrive, they trigger a remarkable transformation — rare and dormant species burst into life, and others are drawn to the lake in spectacular numbers. Speaking to Yahoo News on Friday, an SA National Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson said the best way to see Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre "and the hundreds of species of birdlife that it attracts", is from the air. "But visitors can witness the spectacle of the lake from dedicated viewing points within Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park," they said. "The new management plan for the park, which was introduced in February this year, restricts recreational access to the lakebed, including visitors entering the lakebed on foot. All other recreational activities, including swimming, driving, boating and landing aircraft, are already restricted under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972." Sitting 15 metres below sea level, Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is Australia's lowest point and spans an immense 9,500 square kilometres. It is co-managed by the South Australian government and the Indigenous Arabana people, whose deep cultural ties to the region help guide its protection. With the return of water, brine shrimp hatch from long-dormant eggs in the soil, providing food for fish swept in by the floods. Meanwhile, millions of waterbirds, including breeding species that migrate from as far as China and Japan, flock to the lake to feed, nest, and raise their young. Viewing the rare event can be done from setting up your base at Halligan Bay Point Campground, which sits along the lake's edge. More than 10 hours' drive north of Adelaide, the site is 4WD access only. The site is flat and exposed, offering only basic amenities such as toilets and picnic shelters. For those seeking an alternative, camping is also available at Muloorina Bore, located north of Marree. Incredible photo captures 'extremely rare' phenomenon Aussie euphoric after remarkable find off jetty: 'Like nothing I've seen' Incredible image reveals little-known reality in northern Australia National Parks and Wildlife Service District Ranger Travis Gotch said visiting Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is a "unique experience", but it also requires caution, especially when camping at the remote location. "Know where you're staying, drive to the conditions and make sure that you have enough food, water and resources to fully enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime trip," Gotch said. "Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is a special place. It deserves to be seen, but also to be preserved. Visitors can help by staying on marked tracks, taking all litter home and respecting the cultural significance of the lake and surrounds. "Water will start to find its way into the north lake in early May, and there will be varying water levels for up to six months. The best times to visit would be between May and October." Amy Barham from tour operator Outback Spirit told Yahoo News the water levels are expected to swell higher than in 1974, which was a huge flood year for Lake Eyre. "Lake Eyre flooding, historically, is usually every three to four years," Barham had earlier said. "This year is set to have the most substantial water fill we've seen in the last 15 years." For the Arabana people, the lake is considered to be "sacred" and "dangerous to visit without the guidance of cultural authority". Swimming, driving off designated tracks, and boating were already prohibited when a fresh set of recreational bans came into force earlier this year, preventing visitors from walking on the lake bed. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Aircraft crews set to witness breathtaking Aussie phenomenon not seen in 50 years
A remote part of Australia, normally described as a barren "salt pan", is on the cusp of an incredibly rare phenomenon that will see the sacred region explode with life. Tour operators are bracing for an influx of visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking scenes as South Australia's Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre transforms into an inland sea. Predictions expect that water levels will be highest they have been since 1974 — more than 50 years ago. South Australia's Department of Environment reported last week that 600 -1000 gigalitres of water is currently making its way into South Australia from Western Queensland after a 2,000 kilometre band of rain swept across the country in March. The deluge saw parts of the outback go underwater with residents cut off for weeks. Water is already entering Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre, a 77km stretch of lake in northern South Australia, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting the Queensland floodwaters will start filling the lake in June onwards. "There are predictions that the water levels are higher than in 1974, which was a huge flood year for Lake Eyre," Amy Barham from tour operator Outback Spirit told Yahoo News of the incredible phenomenon. The salt lake is Australia's lowest point at 15.2 metres below sea level. The lake has only filled to capacity three times in the past 160 years. And when it fills, bony bream, hardyhead, shrimp, catfish and perch are carried in by the waters, and their populations explode in the lake. Breeding birds fly from as far away as China and Japan to enjoy the feeding frenzy along with natives like pelicans, robins, cockateils, ducks and ibis. Along the dunes, wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs will burst into life too. Unfortunately, as the native wildlife proliferates, so too will invasive pests, local residents Annemarie van Doorn and her husband, Luke Playford, told the Sydney Morning Herald. Invasive pigs, camels, cats and foxes will also be attracted to the rarely-seen waters. Buffel grass, branded one of Australia's "most devastating invaders", is likely to spread like wildfire too. "Lake Eyre flooding, historically, is usually every 3-4 years," Barham explained. "In saying this, we have seen flood waters make it's way to Lake Eyre every year since 2019 - some years are longer and more significant than others. "This year is set to have the most substantial water fill we've seen in the last 15 years." For the Arabana people, the lake is considered to be 'sacred' and 'dangerous to visit without the guidance of cultural authority'. Swimming, driving, and boating were already prohibited when a fresh set of recreational bans came into force earlier this year preventing visitors from walking in the area. Tourists are still able to admire the lake from the air or from viewing platforms. A range of tour operators will be taking tourists to the region on scenic flights to witness the spectacular landscape. "Our first tour of the season departs Adelaide on the 1st June," Barham explained. "People can expect to see the Lake from the air, the water running through all the channels that link in with Lake Eyre and the kaleidoscope of colours that the water brings with it," she said. As for how long the waters will last, Barham said, "it's hard to say". Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
