Lake Eyre
| Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre | |
|---|---|
Composite Landsat 7 satellite image in 1999 using shortwave infrared, near-infrared, and blue wavelengths | |
Map of the Lake Eyre basin | |
| Location | Far North, South Australia |
| Coordinates | 28°40′S 137°20′E / 28.667°S 137.333°E |
| Lake type | Ancient lake, Endorheic |
| Primary inflows | Warburton River |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Surface area | 9,500 km2 (3,668 sq mi) (max) |
| Average depth | 1.5 m (5 ft) (every 3 years), 4 m (13 ft) (every decade) |
| Surface elevation | −9 m (−30 ft) (shoreline when full); −15 m (−49 ft) (lowest point when empty) |
Lake Eyre (/ɛər/ AIR), officially known as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is an endorheic lake in the east-central part of the Far North region of South Australia, some 700 km (435 mi) north of Adelaide. It is the largest ephemeral endorheic lake on the Australian continent, covering over 9,000 km2 (3,500 sq mi). The shallow lake is the depocentre of the vast endorheic Lake Eyre basin, and contains the lowest natural point in Australia, at approximately 15 m (49 ft) below sea level. The lake is most often empty, filling partially mostly when flooding occurs upstream in Channel Country. On the rare occasions that it fills completely (only three times between 1860 and 2025), it is the largest lake in Australia, covering an area of up to 9,500 km2 (3,668 sq mi). When the lake is full, it has the same salinity as seawater, but becomes hypersaline as the lake dries up and the water evaporates. To the north of the lake is the Simpson Desert.
The lake was named in honour of Edward John Eyre, the first European to see it in 1840. It was officially renamed in December 2012 to include its Aboriginal Arabana name, Kati Thanda, in accordance with a policy of dual naming. The native title over most of the lake and surrounding region is held by the Arabana people, with the eastern portion allocated to the Dieri people.
The lake is one of the most important sites for waterbirds in Australia, and was the location of several attempts at creating a land speed record in the 1960s.