| Lake Eyre, the huge dry salt lake in Central Australia | | | | and wild flowers which give promise of very good |
| is filling with water. The floods that covered the Gulf | | | | seasons for the cattle stations in that part of |
| Country and much of North West Queensland earlier | | | | Queensland. |
| this year have slowly been making their way down | | | | The bird life that makes it's way to the lake in times |
| the inland rivers and over the vast open plains of | | | | of flood is absolutely amazing. An estimated six million |
| The Channel Country of Western Queensland. | | | | birds will make their way to the lake to breed on the |
| The waters are slowly making their way to Lake | | | | islands that form as the lake fills. Pelicans, ducks, |
| Eyre, right down in the northern part of South | | | | black swans, silver gulls, terns and many other |
| Australia. | | | | varieties, some travelling thousands of miles from the |
| Lake Eyre is normally a huge dry salt-pan. It is where | | | | coasts, fly in to to take part in an incredible spectacle |
| Donald Campbell and others attempted to break | | | | of massed bird life. How they know that this year |
| world speed records, and the country for miles and | | | | the lake is filling and that this is the year they should |
| miles around can best be described as dry desert. | | | | go there to breed is a mystery. |
| However, every twenty or thirty years the flooding | | | | The arrival of the birds and the transformation of the |
| tropical rain in North West Queensland is sufficient to | | | | lake is quite spectacular. Thousands of tourists from |
| follow the rivers and channels all the way into Lake | | | | many parts of the world come to see and to take |
| Eyre, and maybe two or three times a century the | | | | photographs of the amazing scenes of the wildlife |
| lake fills with water. | | | | and of the lake itself. For most, it is a once in a |
| Most times, the North Queensland floods, carried by | | | | lifetime opportunity to capture the event. It is a rare |
| the Diamantina and Georgina Rivers, dry up in the | | | | photographic event that might not occur again, to |
| Channel Country, and there are many years when | | | | this extent, for many years. |
| the water doesn't even get that far. Following an | | | | Day trips by air to the lake can be arranged from |
| eight year drought, this year the water is flowing all | | | | capital cities, or those with time to spare can arrange |
| the way into Lake Eyre and spreading out across the | | | | overland tours. Either way you won't be disappointed. |
| some 8,500 square kilometre salt-pan, thanks to the | | | | The lake from water level is amazing, but the best |
| flooding rain in Queensland. | | | | views might be obtained from the air. Tours by light |
| It is said that the flood water travels at about 40 | | | | aircraft or helicopter can be arranged for those who |
| kilometres a day, down the rivers and through the | | | | want to see the spectacular bird life and amazing |
| Channel Country to reach the lake. The western | | | | transformation of Lake Eyre in Central Australia. |
| plains and the Channel Country come alive with grass | | | | |