Lake Gairdner

Lake Gairdner
280px Extreme southern reaches of Lake Gairdner
Lake Gairdner Location in South Australia
Location	Central South Australia
Coordinates
Type	Endorheic, salt lake
Basin countries	Australia
Designation	Lake Gairdner National Park
Max. length	160 km (99 mi)
Max. width	48 km (30 mi)

Lake Gairdner is a large endorheic salt lake in central South Australia, to the north of the Eyre Peninsula. When in flood, the lake is considered the third largest salt lake in Australia.

Description

The lake is over 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) across with salt over 1.2 metres (3 ft 11 in) thick in some places. It is located west of Lake Torrens, 150 kilometres (93 mi) northwest of Port Augusta and 440 kilometres (270 mi) northwest of Adelaide. It is located in the foothills on the northern side of the Gawler Ranges.

Lake Gairdner was named by the Governor of South Australia, Richard MacDonnell in October 1857 after Gordon Gairdner, a Chief Clerk of the Australian Department in the Colonial Office.

Together with Lake Everard and Harris and surround the area is part of Lake Gairdner National Park. The lakes were all once part of an inland sea that stretched all the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Six ephemeral creeks feed the lake including Garden Well Creek, Gorge Creek and Yeltabinna Creek.

Salt Lake Racing

Speed Week 2009

It has been a site for various land speed record attempts on its salt flats and is currently the location for the annual Speed Week event run by the Dry Lake Racers Australia.

See also

• List of lakes of South Australia

External links

• Lake Gairdner Management Plan PDF