Lake Eyre

Submitted: Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 09:42
ThreadID: 137915 Views:7066 Replies:11 FollowUps:6
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Assuming Lake Eyre will have water in it soon, what is the best place to view it from land? My wife hates flying.
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Reply By: Jon W (Toow - Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:24

Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:24
Andrew, you can drive into ABC Bay and Halligan Bay from a turnoff just east of William Creek. Each has reasonable views. Allow at least 1.5 hrs to drive in on reasonable gravel road. There is also a nice viewing area for Lake Eyre South on the Oodnadatta Tk about 100 km west of Marree. Hope this helps.
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Reply By: Michael H9 - Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:24

Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:24
There's a viewing point on the Oodnadatta Track not far from Coward Springs. Otherwise, there's Level Post Bay around 90kms out of Marree, or Halligan Bay 70kms out of William Creek.
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Reply By: Member - Andrew s24 - Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:42

Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:42
Thanks Jon.
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Reply By: Member - Andrew s24 - Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:43

Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 10:43
Thanks Michael
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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 17:31

Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 17:31
Take a flight....

Cheers,
Peter
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Reply By: Phil G - Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 23:51

Friday, Mar 08, 2019 at 23:51
You won't be able to see any water from land. That only happens when the lake is full.
At best there will be a splash of water entering from the Warburton at the northern end.
You'd need the 2 hour flight from William Creek to see it, and having thrown up in the plane over Lake Eyre, I'd concur with your wife and give it a miss for now.
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Follow Up By: Tony W - Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 06:29

Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 06:29
Any photos you'd care to share Phil?
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Follow Up By: Member - David M (SA) - Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 08:39

Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 08:39
" having thrown up in the plane over Lake Eyre"
Well, that's another one off the Bucket List then Phil.
Dave.
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Follow Up By: Phil G - Sunday, Mar 10, 2019 at 21:10

Sunday, Mar 10, 2019 at 21:10
I was a bit slow. Didn't think to take a selfie while throwing up in the bucket! At least I thought to move the microphone away from my mouth (first rule of flying!) but it was in front of my eyes and picked up all the noises I was making and transmitted them to everyone on the plane :-)
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Follow Up By: Phil G - Sunday, Mar 10, 2019 at 21:38

Sunday, Mar 10, 2019 at 21:38
Probably could dig up a few slides from years gone by. But below is some of whats on my computer.
Got one of the Corolla driving on Lake Eyre South in 1977, but I'd have to get the slide scanner out to do photos of the water from Level Post Bay in 1987/88 in the FJ55. Had a magical trip in 2000 in a Subaru - where you could get to a deep waters edge from Babbage Peninsula on Muloorina Station (across the causeway) - seeing all the shrimp and pelicans from the waters edge was fantastic. Went up again when the Cooper was flooded in 2011 (thats when we did that flight from William Creek). Its nice to see water in the Lake, but this year I'll give it a miss. No water going in so far from anywhere except the Warburton - that's just one of 5 rivers so not a flood. Anyway, a few photos from the past:







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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 09:04

Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 09:04
I was going to suggest that you talk your wife into doing an early morning flight, much smoother, and often clearer conditions, but Phil’s mention of “sick bags” sort of put a dampener on that. LOL

Have flown over the northern part of the Lake when it was all but dry, and there is a lot of glare off the salt, as well as a lot of haze that prevents one seeing “forever”. In 2011, we drove to Level Post Bay to see the water, but the water was well out from the viewing site, and any landscape views were restricted by a lot of haze. No doubt the 3M plus annual evaporation rate in action?

Strong SE winds do push the water away from the likes of Level Post Bay, but may enhance water views at Halligan Bay. As mentioned, there won’t be a lot of water to see, but it may last long enough to bolster the local tourism.

Bob

Seen it all, Done it all.
Can't remember most of it.

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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 09:19

Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 09:19

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 19:47

Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 19:47
Probably your best bet will be a flight from Birdsville. It's a longer flight than the southern ones. They take a direct route to the Warburton Groove. You cross the Eyre cross a few times on the way, fly down near the Groove and across the lake. From there you fly over Goyder's Lagoon and follow the Diamantina back to Birdsville.

The best site to follow is - Lake Eyre Yacht Club lake status




PeterD
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 20:11

Saturday, Mar 09, 2019 at 20:11
Andrew, if you Drive in to ABC Bay or Halliday’s Bay, you will need a SA Parks Pass.

Macca.
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Reply By: Numb Thumbs - Friday, Mar 15, 2019 at 21:22

Friday, Mar 15, 2019 at 21:22
Some photos from 2010.
From the shore:

From the air, close to sunset:



The Cooper entering Lake Eyre:


The flight was well worth it, but this year there will probably be a lot less water... My guess, there will not be water visible from anywhere accessible by land, only the air.
Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;)
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Sunday, Mar 17, 2019 at 18:00

Sunday, Mar 17, 2019 at 18:00
I took a flight from William Ck in early October 2016 and saw a reasonable amount of water in the Belt Bay area, most from local runoff due to late autumn rain. Although there was still over a metre of water in Belt Bay the wind was very strong from the west and it had blown the water offshore and it could not be seen from shore. The wind was so strong in fact, the pilot was boasting over the radio that he had a ground speed of over 400 kph, at William Ck we had to pitch our tent in the camp kitchen to stop it being blown away. We did not see any bird life as we were told they had left. The Lake Eyre Yacht club are predicting more than a metre of water in Belt Bay by April-May, we are revisiting the area just at this time so we have our fingers crossed.
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Follow Up By: Numb Thumbs - Sunday, Mar 17, 2019 at 18:57

Sunday, Mar 17, 2019 at 18:57
As to the "wildlife", we have been to Lake Eyre twice, once empty and once nearly full.

On both occasions, our total wildlife count was one seagull. I don't know if it was the same one...

2010, Lake full:



2017, Lake empty:



Cheers
Numb Thumbs ;)

PS I'll be there in mid May - hopefully the same seagull will be there again!
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