It’s been a long journey but the rain that fell more than two months ago in north-west Queensland has arrived in South Australia’s Lake Eyre … and it’s causing quite a stir.
The floodwater is proving a major attraction both for wildlife, and for grey nomads.
William Creek publican Trevor Wright told the ABC said that the area hadn’t had seen any rain for eight months, and that he could not recall ever seeing Lake Eyre fill so late in the year.
“This type of floodwater, when you don’t have local rains is unusual,” he said. “We’re in semi-drought or drought conditions through the stations and towns up here, to see some water coming down through the Lake Eyre Basin and channel country is quite a surprise and refreshing and at the same time.”
Mr Wright, who also operates an air service, flew over the floodwaters early this week.
He described the floodwaters at the heads as “a bluey, brackish, pinkish colour because of the saline water that is being flushed out of the creeks”.
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy told the ABC that it had been several years since Lake Eyre had seen a flood of this magnitude.
“The waterholes fill, the birds arrive, the insects arrive, there’s a new flush of vegetation, all of that is great news is great for the endangered wildlife is central Australia,” said the conservancy’s Atticus Fleming.
However, he warned that, as well as encouraging endangered species to the area, it would also bring in feral animals. Locals have already reported camel numbers increasing.
