Welcome to Lake Eyre
Introduction | Special Dates | Centenary of Federation
Aboriginal Connections | Connecting the Kids

While Edward John Eyre discovered Lake Eyre in 1840, it was the successful return of John McDouall Stuart to Adelaide in 1982 on his fourth attempt to cross Australia that was the turning-point in the history of the overland telegraph line. Stuart and his party had successfully found a route from south to north coast of Australia through the centre.

But eight years later, when the line was being built, South Australian squatters had not penetrated, let alone settled any further than Lake Eyre.

Stuart's journey was arduous to say the least, but he led a fast, light party. Not so for the construction workers on the line. Not only did they have to find the best route for the line, they had to find timber suitable for the poles, ground that could take heavy transport and water. They had to avoid country subject to flooding and find places where the line could traverse water courses. And of course they needed to set up depots and stations.

To select his men for the initial surveying trip for the Overland Telegraph Line, John Ross asked applicants just two questions; Are you sound in mind and limb? and can you live on bandicoot and goanna? A yes to both and they were on the team.

As the journey progressed, you could forgive some of the men for thinking they'd lied about being of sound mind. Certainly if they didn't think they were mad for taking the job on, they we're probably soon driven mad by the harsh conditions.

The lake's two sections, Lake Eyre North covering 8030 square kms and Lake Eyre South covering 1300 square kms are connected by the Goyder Channel, about 13 kms long. This inland drainage system is one of the largest in the world and covers 1.3 million square kms or about one sixth of the Australian continent.