LAST BOATS TO LAKE EYRE… (maybe!)

By Rex Ellis  

The Warburton, normally a river of sand, has occasional navigable water. A very unpredictable river. I have travelled it 35 times since 1974 when it was only discernible by the tops of the Coolibahs. It is often difficult to predict when I can run boats to the Lake and return. On one occasion I arrived before the water ­- embarrassing! Another time we were 70ks from the Lake when our boats rounded a bend and grounded.  200 metres ahead was the spew of the river! I couldn’t afford to wait a week, so had to return. I told my party that this experience was more remarkable than reaching the Lake by boat. Not sure how many agreed with that! 

This year, early rains and a good flood in the Georgina River, ran unnavigable water into the Lake: no cyclones in the Gulf of Carpentaria. So by the end of April, I had given up any ideas of operating. However, in June, there were big rains in western Qld. which created a rise that I took advantage of. First trip in early July, on a high river. Second trip left from the same small tributary location, but a falling river meant that boats had to be dragged through mud for the last 100metres to the vehicles. Both those trips were very successful. The third trip, with a full party, was cancelled 30 hours before it was due to leave Adelaide, for reasons beyond my control. 

On the actual third trip we only travelled 20ks, returning with much pushing of boats. Everyone enjoyed it (except me!)  I had travelled before on low water, but this is a very complicated system. Lake Eyre shelves from the south to the north. As the river water runs down the Warburton groove, which runs 2/3rds of the way down the Lake, the water backs up, causing the River to become almost inert. The groove is very shallow and this year westerly winds blew much of the water out across the Lake’s surface. This caused the river to drop earlier than I anticipated. Truly a river of surprises.  

Interestingly, on all three trips, only two dingoes were actually seen. One by me (a pair of ears above a Lignum bush,] and another by Jeremy, one of the boatmen on the last trip. On that occasion, a small probable family group were calling in the early evening on the bank opposite our last camp, with an unusually large variety of calls.  Jeremy had his swag down on the edge of the river and saw one of the adult dogs on the other side of the water’s edge. On previous trips, I have never been down to the Lake and back, without frequent sightings… the least around 10, and up to 80. Local Station people also commented on the unusual scarcity of sightings in the early part of the year.  There are a lot of other unusual wildlife phenomenon in the past couple of years.  

After this short River experience, the whole party opted to ‘hang in’ rather than return to Adelaide early with a large refund. We drove up to William Creek, camping on the west side of the Lake overnight. Next day we did a very comprehensive flight over the Lake and the lower Warburton River where it was very evident what had happened to the water in the Warburton groove.  

The rest of the trip was spent in the northern Flinders Ranges, using a number of tracks I had not accessed for years. The northern and central Flinders are in excellent heart, after good rains throughout the year. However, hundreds of dead River Gums are testimony to the recent drought, one of the worst in European memory.  

So, my ‘Last boat trip to Lake Eyre? We’ll see.  

The Murray River is huge and may well go beyond 1974 levels. I have a feeling (in my water!) that Lake Eyre is going to receive a lot of water in 2023, It literally filled in 1974, when we were able to cross it in boats… maybe it’s time for a repeat.