Lyndhurst, Farina, Marree - Lake Eyre (South)

Ochre Quarry, Lyndhurst.

Some relics at Farina.

Lake Eyre South.

When we left Lyndhurst the road to Marree was open, but we would not know if the Marree to Lake Eyre road would be open until we actually arrived in Marree. Some roads would be open to four wheel drive vehicles but nobody could tell us in advance what was open and what was not. Still hearing that Lake Eyre would be best viewed from the air.

Undeterred, we drove on. There had been considerable rain about two weeks before we arrived and although a lot of roads had had water across them, most of this had drained away and mostly were in good condition.

Marree is supposed to be where the real outback begins, and when we arrived there I sort of got the feeling that many of the folk preferred that it ended there too. Again, not much information was forthcoming. As we drove into the town we found that the road to Lake Eyre North was closed, because of its poor condition, by the pastoralists. Driving on closed roads in this part of the country can lead to heavy fines...two thousand dollars per wheel!

We had lunch in Marree, nothing to write home about really and a bit expensive I thought.

Again...we could fly...but not prepared to spend hundreds of dollars for the two of us...

Drove off feeling let down by the place and disappointed that we would not get to see Lake Eyre.

Off we headed, up the Oodnadatta Track to William Creek.

Suddenly, there it was, between Bopeechee and Curdimurka, a sign proclaiming: Lake Eyre South 7Km (photo opportunity). Still I didn't get my hopes up.

Seven kilometre later we pulled into the information bay and stood there and gazed at a lake that certainly looked like it had water in it but after all the hoo haa I'd been fed couldn't be sure. Maybe it was an optical illusion, a mirage, or maybe it was just salt that looked blue.

A couple of workers on their way home had stopped to look at the lake too, and I overheard one of them say; it's a once in a lifetime event.

Could it really be water? We struck up a conversation with the guys and even though I knew it was a stupid question to ask I still asked it: is that really water in the lake?

One of the men looked at me in disbelief. Of course it's water he said. Well, I thought it might be salt I explained to him...because everyone has been telling us that there's no water in the lake!

Ah he replied back, that's because you're from NSW!