The current flooding at Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre is being hailed as a rare and extraordinary event. Experts believe it could be the biggest influx of water the South Australian lake has seen in a generation, and possibly the largest flood event there so far this century. This is only the fourth time in the past 160 years that the lake has filled to such a remarkable extent. Picture: Supplied

Trevor Wright, a seasoned outback pilot who has flown over the region since 1992, said he had never seen anything like it. The flooding is expected to rival the legendary 1974–1975 event, the most intense in the region in the last 50 years. Picture: Supplied

Lake Eyre’s primary water source is the Diamantina River, which flows into the Warburton River and ultimately feeds the lake. Scientists suggest that climate change may be amplifying the magnitude of this dramatic natural phenomenon, with events of this scale happening only once every 50 to 100 years. Picture: Supplied

The inundation spans approximately 1000 square kilometres and continues to expand each day. By mid-May, around 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the lake’s surface area was submerged, though only about 5 per cent to 15 per cent of the total expected water volume had arrived. Water levels are anticipated to fluctuate through to October. Picture: Supplied

Projections indicate the lake may fill to between 75 per cent and 85 per cent of its capacity, with peak levels likely to occur in late June or early July. The floods are the result of record-breaking rainfall across Queensland, particularly from heavy downpours in the state’s southwest and northeast regions. Major river systems, including the Diamantina, Paroo, Bulloo and Cooper Creek, also flooded. Picture: Supplied

An adventure-seeking family popular on Instagram under the handle hardcoretripperz_ captured their breathtaking flight over Lake Eyre North as it flooded. Picture: Instagram

They posted a series of images with the caption: Incredible to witness this rare sight - floodwaters making their way through the Channel Country, filling the vast salt pan of Lake Eyre. The salt crust here is up to 3 metres deep, and the water is moving at an astonishing 7km a day. Nature putting on a once-in-a-lifetime show out here in the heart of Australia. Picture: Instagram/hardcoretripperz_

Their account’s bio reads: Lapping Oz in our urban van, Nash, Ash and 2 wild boys. Picture: Instagram/hardcoretripperz_

One follower commented on the post: “Incredible what goes on out there in our beautiful country.” Picture: Instagram/hardcoretripperz_

Another wrote, “Just WOW!” Picture: Instagram/hardcoretripperz_

As of early 2025, access to Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre National Park is highly restricted to protect its cultural significance, environmental integrity, and visitor safety. While direct access is prohibited, visitors can still experience the lake’s beauty through scenic flights or from designated viewing platforms. However, pilots must adhere to specific regulations. Picture: Instagram/hardcoretripperz_

Several operators offer regular flights during peak viewing season, which typically spans from April to October. This period coincides with the flooding of Lake Eyre, as domestic and international tourists often hope to witness the rare event. Picture: Instagram/hardcoretripperz_

The arrival of floodwaters triggers a dramatic surge in wildlife activity. Migratory species like pelicans flock to the area, as well as millions of waterbirds from as far as China and Japan. Picture: wrightsair

As the water spreads, it awakens dormant life. Brine shrimp hatch from eggs long buried in the dry lake bed, providing food for fish, and among the early visitors are camels, dingoes, and feral pigs. Picture: Supplied

What's wild, is that no one really knows how these birds find out the lake has water again. One day it's empty, and the next it's feathered chaos. Picture: Supplied

Pelicans nesting. Picture: Supplied

Pelicans flying over flooded Lake Eyre North. Picture: Supplied

Floodwaters that have travelled from northern Queensland for months channel steadily down Warburton Groove, the final stretch before entering mighty Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Peoples Choice Awards/Brad Leue

All roads in to the tiny outback SA town of Innamincka are closed and the community could be isolated for weeks as floodwaters from western Queensland make their way towards Lake Eyre. Picture: Supplied

Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre is a sacred site for the Arabana people and holds deep cultural significance. It is the second-largest salt lake in the world, with its vast basin stretching across nearly one-sixth of Australia’s landmass, about 1.2 million square kilometres. The lake also contains Australia’s lowest natural point, sitting approximately 15.2 metres below sea level. Pictured: Lake Eyre three-quarters full, July 2000. Photo by Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty

For much of the time, the lake is a vast dry salt flat spanning around 9,500 square kilometres. However, as floodwaters move southward, they dissolve the salt crust, transforming the landscape into a vast inland sea. In some areas, water depths are reaching between 2 and 4 metres, though across most of the lake, the depth remains under half a metre. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty

When the lake has water, its shallow surface acts like a giant mirror, turning the sunset into a full-blown double feature, sky above, sky below. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty

An aerial view of Lake Eyre at sunset. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty

During drought, wildlife disappears, with birds, fish, and brine shrimp either dying off or going dormant. Vegetation recedes, and the area can become a source of dust storms. Photo by DeAgostini/Getty

The cracked salt makes it look like you’re standing on an alien planet. It remains a sacred site regardless of water levels and features in dreaming stories as part of the Arabana traditional owners ongoing spiritual practices. Photo by DeAgostini/Getty

Lake Eyre’s unique landscape made it an attractive site for early land speed record testing in Australia during dry periods. 11th May 1964: Donald Campbell's Bluebird reaches 200 miles per hour during its first trial run, where he hoped to break the record of 630 mph (1,015 km/h). He was unsuccessful due to wet and unstable surfaces. Not long after broke the record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. Picture: Central Press/Getty

Campbell was a British speed enthusiast who dedicated his life to breaking land and water speed records. His vehicles were all named Bluebird, with his most famous people the Bluebird CN7, a jet-powered car designed for extreme speeds. Picture: by National Motor Museum/Heritage Images via Getty

Unlike rivers that flow to the ocean, water in this basin never reaches the sea. Rather, it evaporates or seeps into the ground. Picture: Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty

The Lake Eyre Basin is very flat and geologically stable, which means erosion happens slowly compared to mountainous regions. However, when it does rain, especially during intense outback storms, flash floods can cause rapid erosion, carving temporary channels and gullies across the dry landscape. Picture: Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty

Thanks to intense heat and arid conditions, the lake can lose several meters of water per year just through evaporation. This adds a lot of water vapour to the local atmosphere, even though it rarely results in rain. As water evaporates, it leaves behind thick salt deposits. That’s why Lake Eyre often looks bright white or pink. Picture: Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty

Aerial of the rare pinkish water in flooded Lake Eyre. Picture: Supplied

Eroding river cliffs in the Lake Eyre Basin are a fascinating but often overlooked feature formed as a result of boom and bust hydrology, which refers to the extreme cycle of sudden flooding (boom) followed by long dry periods (bust). Some of the cliffs even reveal fossil layers or archaeological remains, offering rare insights into the basin’s ancient history. Picture: Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty

Lake Eyre as seen from Space Shuttle Columbia during the Nasa's STS-35 Mission, December 1990. Picture: Space Frontiers/Getty

Pink Moon by Luke Austin: A collection of aerial images of the iconic Lake Eyre. Picture: Ignacio Palacios/Supplied

A group of award-winning photographers joined forces to capture the colourful pallets of the salt deposits, eroded channels and algal blooms of the uniquely Australian lake. Picture: Ignacio Palacios/Supplied

Interpretations from the Air - Picture: Paul Hoelen/Supplied