Lake Eyre in Flood 2010

Day 1: Melbourne - Birdsville - Lake Eyre scenic - The Prairie

Depart Melbourne early morning bound for the outback and beyond... Touch down at Broken Hill for fuel and refreshments. Continue over the Corner Country to Birdsville for lunch. Here you can explore the Birdsville Billabong and town. Re-board your aircraft for a comprehensive low-level scenic flight that follows the flow of the water right to Lake Eyre itself (also Goyder Lagoon, Warburton Groove and then Lake Eyre North and South).

Accommodation: The very stylish Prairie Hotel (ensuite rooms)

Day 2: The Prairie - Marree - Lake Eyre South (ground tour) - Melbourne

After a leisurely country breakfast at the Prairie take off for the tiny outpost of Marree where you are met by Reg Dodd. Reg is a local aboriginal whose intimate knowledge is vast. Drive out along the Oodnadatta Track to Lake Eyre South to view the lake. Return to the airport late afternoon for the flight back to Melbourne landing around 830 p.m.

After your trip you will receive a CD of photographs taken onboard your adventure.

To register your interest in this tour please click here.

Some interesting facts about the lake:

Lake Eyre is a giant basin where all the inland rivers (Diamantina, Warburton, Thomson, Barcoo, Cooper, Georgina, Eyre Creek, Peake, Neales, Macumba and Hamilton Rivers) converge into a pool of vast proportions, yet it can lay dry for many years on end as a crusty saltpan.

It is in fact made up of two lakes, Lake Eyre North and Lake Eyre South joined by the narrow watercourse Goyders Channel and combined they cover an area of 9,700 sq km and reside within the Lake Eyre National Park.

The climate of the lake is characterised by hot summers with average maximum in excess of 55C, little rainfall - under 120mm, and an evaporation rate of 2000mm per annum! Vegetation in the surrounding areas consists of mainly samphire, saltbush, bluebush and acacia.

The smooth, flat surface of the lake and its enormous size have made it an ideal site for a number of world land speed record attempts, notably the successful bid by Sir Donald Campbell in July 1964.