Lake Eyre Basin – Liveable, Ephemeral and Biodiverse!

Lake Eyre Basin – Liveable, Ephemeral and Biodiverse!

Close your eyes and image and imagine a unique part of Australia that covers one-sixth of the driest continent on earth and has an abundance of plant and animal life in a natural arid and semi-arid environment that is home to a Yacht Club; premium organic beef breeding properties; large pelican colonies; ancient and rare Waddi trees and an aerial view of an abstract artists canvas of braids and criss-crossy lines that are waterways. Now think of the terms ‘boom and bust’ in relation to rivers and wetlands and drop these into the image you have generated – and title this image with the name “Lake Eyre Basin”.

The Western Rivers Carer was recently priveleged to be in Alice Springs to attend the Lake Eyre Community Advisory Committee and the Scientific Advisory Group meetings where all things that matter to the Lake Eyre Basin were discussed.

The Lake Eyre Basin is one of the largest internally draining river systems in the world, and covers nearly one-sixth of Australia, including areas of South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and a small portion of New South Wales. Lake Eyre (a great salt lake) is the terminal point of the drainage system, and the three major river systems that drain into the Lake are the Georgina and Diamantina Rivers and Cooper’s Creek. The Lake Eyre catchment is one of the last unregulated dryland river systems worldwide and is located in arid and semi-arid parts of the driest inhabited content. All tributaries to Lake Eyre are ephemeral in nature, meaning that run off is reduced to one flood or a series of floods in a short period, and there are very long periods when the beds of the rivers are dry.

The rivers and catchments in the Lake Eyre Basin are generally in good condition, and contain intact aquatic ecosystems. These critical aquatic habitats are home for many species and in particular, migratory waterbirds. The permanent water holes are critical refuges for aquatic plants and animals. The rivers fluctuate dramatically between consisting of highly fragmented disconnected water holes and well connected systems encompassing enormous tracts of inundated floodplain. Most of the Lake Eyre Basin overlies the Great Artesian (groundwater) Basin.

Almost all of the non-desert parts of the Lake Eyre Basin are used for low intensity livestock grazing, predominantly beef cattle and sheep. These industries are viewed as having low impacts on the land and diversity. Indigenous communities have maintained their traditional links with the land, and important cultural sites have been protected and preserved. The key threats to the area include introduced pest plants and feral animals and their impacts on waterholes; intensified surface water extraction as a result of development and the impact of climate change.
For more information on the Lake Eyre Basin, please visit www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au.