Lake Eyre set for water flows and tourists

Just how much will make it into Lake Eyre remains unknown, but it is set to bring a resurgence of fish, birdlife and tourists eager to take in the spectacle.

Sunrise over Lake Machattie in Bedourie, north of Birdsville, Queensland, last week. Picture: George Wilks/Birdsville Aviation

Lake Eyre is set to come to life as floodwater that drenched northwest Queensland last month slowly moves towards the famous inland salt pan.

It will combine with recent rain from ex-cyclone Ilsa, which tracked over the southern part of the Northern Territory at the weekend, bringing a welcome boost for outback industries.

Tour operators are gearing for a surge in bookings that comes every time water spills into the South Australian lake.

The rain that fell around Mt Isa in early March, flooding cattle stations and isolating towns, has made its way south down the ­Diamantina and Georgina rivers and has surrounded the southwest Queensland town of Bedourie.

It has brought the famous Channel Country to life – a big win for graziers – and is expected to reach the lake within weeks.

The southwest Queensland town of Bedourie has been surrounded by floodwater that has made its way south over the past few weeks. Photo: Peter Murray

The water will make its way down the shallow Warburton Groove at a walking pace, before spreading into a maze of arteries and fanning out over the white-crusted salt plain.

Veteran guide Graham Reid said the flood was unlikely to fill the lake, but would nevertheless bring a resurgence of fish, birdlife and tourists eager to take in the spectacle, which occurs about a couple of times a decade.

Mr Reid’s business, Travel West, which charters flights from Brisbane to Birdsville and over the lake, is one of several flight and tourism operators that benefit whenever water runs into the usually-parched expanse.

“We don’t do it unless there is water in the lake; that’s the hook,” Mr Reid said.

“It’s one of those bucket-list things.”

Mr Reid, who has guided more than 100 flights over Lake Eyre since 2009, said the first tour this year would likely coincide with the floodwater’s arrival.

Just how much will make it into Lake Eyre after filling the various waterholes and billabongs on the way remains unknown, but Mr Reid said he preferred it when the lake was not completely full.

“You can see all the patterns and lines and designs and everything,” he said. “It’s extraordinary.”

Environmental scientist Richard Kingsford has dedicated his life to researching the flora and fauna that rely on the sporadic ­replenishment of the vast 1.2 million square kilometre Lake Eyre basin, which covers parts of the Territory, Queensland, NSW and South Australia.

He said ex-cyclone Ilsa could have a big say in how much the lake filled.

Lake Eyre basin covers four states.

“There’s a fair bit of water coming down and the system is pretty well primed,” Dr Kingsford said.

“But it does still need to go through Goyder Lagoon, which is a massive flood plain south of Birdsville.

“Then water will also be coming through Eyre Creek, through the Simpson (Desert), which will meet up with the Diamantina.

“Then they go together to make the Warburton River, which runs through the sand dunes to the north of Lake Eyre.”

Dr Kingsford said the lake last filled in the 1970s but had received recent inflows several times since 2015.

Grazier David Brook said his Channel Country properties would benefit significantly from the arrival of the floodwater, which was expected to arrive in Birdsville early this week.

Grazier David Brook is thankful for the extra pasture growth. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

He described the flooding around Bedourie and Boulia as “a ripper” that would make its way to his properties over the next few weeks, bringing significant pasture growth in his paddocks.

“Any feed we get is good feed,” he said.

“It’s always different depending on when the floodwaters ­recede.

“At this time of year we will get clover and a lot of other grasses.”