Visiting Lake Eyre

      "The Lake protects itself from overuse by killing the careless""

If you plan to visit the Lake please ensure your vehicle is adequately prepared and that you have enough food and water for your intended length of stay PLUS emergency provisions. Visiting the Lake during the summer months is not recommended. Temperatures in the high forties can kill even when water is available. A cross on the Halligan Bay track near Armistice Bore marks the place of death of Gabriele Grossmueller who died walking out after her four wheel drive became bogged in December 1998. For your own benefit read the inquest.

The only reliable safety net is the one you build yourself. Before you leave ring a reliable friend/relative. Arrange a time to ring back when you are back in civilization. Advise them how many days late you may be before they should contact the authorities.

Road conditions deteriorate rapidly with heavy rain. It's best to wait a few days for it to dry out. Always take care - a washaway, bull dust patch or another vehicle WILL be around one of the next corners. The local tourist industry makes it's living out of repairing vehicles driven too fast over rough roads by city drivers trying to fit too much holiday into too short a holiday. Slow down and enjoy.

Lake Eyre has only three public access points:

Location Access Vehicle
Lake Eyre South - Oodnadatta Track Approx midway between Marree & William Creek the Lake can be seen from the track and several parking areas are provided Conventional vehicle (if the Track is open to them)
Lake Eyre North - Level Post Bay Drive on Muloorina Station Public Access Route 100km from Marree 4WD
Lake Eyre North - Halligan Bay Drive 70km along Anna Creek Station Public Access Route from 7km South of William Creek Officially designated as 4WD to Northwest Head (ABC Point camping area), 4WD along Lake edge to Halligan Bay

* Any vehicle will get there if the roads dry and you can handle corrugations, dust holes and ruts. If you bend it it's your fault.

Public Access Tracks normally allow camping within 50m of the track but not near Station infrastucture such as bores, dams & buildings.
For those travelling to Level Post Bay Muloorina has a camping area adjacent to a bore filled waterhole. Toilets are provided.

Warburton River Access:

Cowarie Station are permitting bush camping with river frontage. Bookings can only be made at Mungerannie Hotel 203km up the Birdsville Track from Marree.

Cooper Creek Access:

Etadunna Station have bush camping with Cooper Creek frontage. Call in to Etadunna Station on the Birdsville Track for permits. More Cooper information below.

Accomodation & Tours

Marree at the junction of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks is the service centre of the region with Police, Hospital, Hotel, General Store Post Office and Caravan Parks with units. Tours are conducted by local aboriginal groups. Scenic flights over Lake Eyre in fixed wing aircraft and helicopter can be booked at most businesses in town.

Coward Springs Campground , a desert oasis situated on the Oodnadatta Track not far from Lake Eyre South, provides camping facilities and camel tours of the region.

Mungerannie Hotel half way up the Birdsville Track and the only service centre between Marree and Birdsville. Let Pam and Phil give you a taste of the real outback. The Hotel has a bar, fuel, food, rooms and camping facilities.

William Creek 200km up the Oodnadatta Track from Marree is the home of the William Creek Hotel and Wrightsair who conduct scenic flights over a large area including Lake Eyre.

 

COOPER & PUNT INFORMATION:

VEHICLE LIMITS:

NAVIGATION INFORMATION:

How big is Lake Killamperpunna?
The main body of the lake is about 7km by 5km however branches extend a few km in different directions. The upstream end of the lake will be navigable up Cooper Creek past the Cooper Ferry and many 10's of km upstream. The downstream end shallows over the Birdsville Track but channels are 1m deep. West of the Track the Cooper then becomes a swamp with numerous channels before rejoining at the sill (highest point) about 35km downstream. From there it is a single channel most of the way to Lake Eyre.

>How deep is Lake Killamperpunna?
It is 3m deep over the flat white area in the image on the flyer. Boats such as mirrors sailed on this lake in 1990. It is desirable to have shoal draft rudders if you want to explore the extremities of the Lake - for example sail over the Birdsville Track. These can be easily made out of 20mm exterior ply.

>What's the wind like?
This year the wind has been weaker due to the greening of the desert.
Strongest winds would only exceed 15knts each side of a passing front for about 24 hours.

>How salty is the water?
The water, being Cooper water, is fresh but you have to be tough to drink it.

GETTING THERE:

There are many alternatives to the routes below. If you have more time in either direction try a different path. Check road information on the Lake Monitoring (Status) page for closures.

Queenslanders,
Innamincka can be reached via the Adventure Hwy from Thargomindah via Jackson and the now repaired Burke Bridge at Nappamerrie. This route also has the most sealed road to the Cooper Crossing and would be the best way for anyone travelling from anywhere in Qld except Mt Isa, Boulia, Bedourie and Birdsville. From Innamincka take the Strzelecki Track to Lyndhurst then it's up the road to Marree. This gets you on the south side of the Cooper.

The Mt Isa to Birdsville travellers with boats on trailers will have to launch on the north side of Cooper Creek at the Punt. The punt is not taking disconnected trailers and vehicle + trailer length must not exceed 7.8m so caravans cannot use the punt.

>Which is the best way from Melbourne?
Calder Hwy - Ravenswood - Marong - Ouyen - Pinaroo - Loxton - Waikerie - Morgan - Burra - Orroroo - Hawker - Leigh Creek - Marree

>Which is the best way from Sydney?
Dubbo - Barrier Hwy - Broken Hill - Peterborough - Orroroo - Hawker - Leigh Creek - Marree

>Which is the best way from SE Queensland?
Either Dalby or Goondiwindi - St George - Cunnamulla - Thargominda - Jackson - Innamincka - Lyndhurst (30km south to Leigh Creek shops) - Marree

>Which is the best way from Perth?
Nullabor - Port Augusta - Hawker - Leigh Creek - Marree

ACCOMODATION:

FOOD and FUEL:

Marree has a general store (next door to the Yacht Club) that sells fuel, take away food, groceries, meat, milk, bread and vegetables etc. The store is open from 7.00am to 6.00pm daily.
Leigh Creek has a supermarket with a greater range of food. It closes at 12.00 on Saturday and is not open Sunday.
Fuel is more expensive as you go north in SA. The round trip from Marree to the Cooper is about 300km so you will need to fill up at Marree before leaving.
The longest stretch of road without fuel will be for those Queenslanders who travel via Innamincka down the Strzelecki Track to Lydhurst. The distance is 466km. Lyndhurst Hotel has discount diesel.

WATER:

Marree has town bore water which is good for washing but not drinking. Drinking water has to be purchased in Marree. Cooper water can be used for for washing but it would have to be boiled or treated for human consumption. The rest area at Copley is the closest free drinking water. You will need about 1.5lt - 2.5lt per person per day so fill up as many containers as you can fit in your vehicle when passing through.