Lake Eyre - when to visit?

[hoppy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hoppy]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

Just caught the last bit of a segment on the 7.30 Report on the ABC tonight about the rains around Birdsville and the water coming down Eyre Creek.
One Birdsville beef producer made the comment that it has been the best season that he can remember and he may never seen one like it again.
We may not see water when we pass Lake Eyre South on the way to the GTG but I'm certainly looking forward now to the transformation around Birdsville.
Might see if I can catch the full story on the ABC website.

My wife was the editor on that story. We are planning a trip in late August...

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

I've posted a Lake Eyre Trip Report for our April Lake Eyre trip.

Michael

[lofty Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lofty]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

We are now thinking of detouring to Lake Eyre on the way back from Alice (not the GTG) in July. After all, you would be mad to go all that way and not see Lake Eyre.

I am thinking the Oodnadatta track from Marla to William Creek then out to the Halligans Bay viewing area. According to Wrightsair (http://www.wrightsair.com.au/lake.htm) the flood waters have reached this spot. We would probably overnight at Halligans Bay, enjoy the sunrise, then hit the road for home.

Does anyone know the condition of the Borefield Road from the Oodnadatta Track to Olympic Dam/Roxby Downs?

We have hired a camper trailer for the trip so i need to make sure the track is ok for towing.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

Lake Eyre - current status

Hope there might still be some water in Lake Eyre when we get there in just over a weeks time.

[speedcomm Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close speedcomm]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

I had a sticky beak in Lake Eyre south on Thursday, plenty of water there, was running a bit tight for time so didnt actually get to drive into Lake Eyre itself.

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

They had a segment on Lake Eyre on the Channel 9 show Getaway on Thursday night. The chick drove out to Lake Eyre South and indicated this is as far as you could drive and not a drop to be seen. A mirage on the horizon but that was it. She then went back to William Creek and did a flight. Forgot what she said about it but it looked good

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

We plan to stay at William Creek on the way to the GTG, hopefully there will still be water in it
http://www.lakeeyreyc.com/Status/latest.html

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

They had a segment on Lake Eyre on the Channel 9 show Getaway on Thursday night. The chick drove out to Lake Eyre South and indicated this is as far as you could drive and not a drop to be seen. A mirage on the horizon but that was it. She then went back to William Creek and did a flight. Forgot what she said about it but it looked good

Sounds like she forgot to read her books then!

Lake Eyre South rarely fills from Qld floodwaters, and when it does, it is because Lake Eyre North is full and the overflow is running through the Goyder channel that links the two lakes. Generally, if the South lake has water, it is from local SA rains.

Edit:

The Getaway video is online here. Watching it, I believe the crew actually went out to Halligan Bay, not Lake Eyre South. In fact the closing frame looks to me as if it was taken at Halligan Bay, and it sure looks like water is visible on the lake.



Michael

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

We visited Lake Eyre just the other day and it definitely has water in it:



But the water is receding fast. Nonetheless, it still looks absolutely amazing. Didn't see any birdlife though. But it is such an amazing sight to see this vast expanse of blue water surrounded by crystal white edges in the middle of a red desert.

I am so glad we did this trip when we did. 8)

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

Looks great, where did you take off from?

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Lake Eyre - when to visit?

Looks great, where did you take off from?

We took a 45 minute helicopter ride from William Creek. It was fantastic. I think the pilot was happy because he gave us more time than we expected and was very generous.