Flight: Lake Eyre, Cooper Creek & William Creek Half Day Tour
When it rains in large areas of Queensland, floodwaters within the Lake Eyre basin catchment area converge in the Channel Country and breath life into the vast floodplains while making their way to the magnificent Lake Eyre!
This year we have experienced unprecedented rains throughout all 3 of Queensland’s Lake Eyre catchment areas, smashing historical flooding records in many areas. The Cooper Creek flooding event has been particularly significant this year and an ocean of water has made its way towards Lake Eyre – an event that hasn’t occurred since 2011. This year the Cooper Creek has been reaching peaks even higher than 1974 as it has made its way through the various checkpoints along its journey. Once reaching Lake Eyre, the outpouring will be remarkable to experience from the air.
Similarly, the mighty Diamantina River has been flowing through Birdsville, cutting access to the town for weeks while continuing towards the Goyder Lagoon floodplain. After turning this wetland into an oasis of green interspersed by thousands of finger-like channels, the water makes its way into the Warburton River traversing the Simpson Desert before reaching its final destination of Lake Eyre.
Covering almost 10,000 square kilometers, Lake Eyre is a spectacle from the air no matter what the season but when flooded, becomes a bucket list opportunity. The inflowing water, which is measured in cubic kilometers, completely transforms the usually dry and arid area into something that has to be seen to be believed.
The tiny outpost of William Creek in remote South Australia is the closest settlement to Lake Eyre and while its population is miniscule, its lure as a bucket list destination for tourists is impressive. William Creek and the iconic William Creek Hotel is the perfect landing spot for us to stretch our legs, enjoy a complementary bite to eat and refreshment before continuing on the return leg of our extremely popular Half Day Tour.
Points of Interest
Inclusions
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$1195 pp for departures with 3 or more people
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$1495 pp for departures with 2 people
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Duration: approx 5 - 5.5 hours
Flight time 4 hours with 1 hours ground time
Flight Route Details
Your flight departs Birdsville and takes you west over Big Red and the QAA line where it turns south to follow the Eyre Creek. You will overfly Alton Downs Station before arriving overhead the breathtaking green floodplains of Goyder Lagoon. From here we overfly Clifton Hills station before traversing the seemingly endless parallel sand dunes of the Simpson Desert, the largest of its kind in the world. We cross the Kallakoopah Creek before joining the Warburton River which sweeps dramatically through the Tirari Desert as it arrives at the northern end of Lake Eyre.
The continuation of the Warburton River flows through the centre of Lake Eyre North and is known simply as the Warburton Groove. We follow this channel to the south into Belt Bay which is the deepest point and lowest point below sea level in Australia.
After a couple of circuits of the area we head west to the quirky little town of William Creek on the Oodnadatta Track and Old Ghan Railway Line. We land here for a short break and some morning or afternoon tea. After a little stroll through the town which is situated in the middle of Anna Creek Station, the largest station in the world, we reboard the aircraft for the second leg of the flight.
We fly back over Lake Eyre taking in the where the Cooper Creek enters the western shoreline which is an extremely rare event. We follow the Cooper Creek to where it cuts the Birdsville Track, requiring the use of a punt (recommissioned out of long storage) to carry vehicles travelling the famous dirt road. From here we fly over the patterns of the Sturt Stony desert before finding ourselves once again in the remarkable channel country of the Goyder Lagoon where thousands of finger-like channels breathe life into a vast area that is an oasis for an abundance of wildlife. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Camels, Cattle, Dingos, and large flocks of migratory birds as we continue northwest to pick up the southern delta of the Diamantina River wedged between the contrasting Simpson Desert and Sturt Stony Desert. We continue to follow the Diamantina River past Pandie Pandie Station and the Birdsville Racecourse, home of the famous Birdsville Races before landing and taxiing back to the Birdsville Hotel to celebrate your flight and the sheer magic of Lake Eyre.
How to Book
Bookings can be made any number of ways including:
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Submitting our online booking form below.
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Email your booking request to bookings@birdsvillehotel.com.au.
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In person at the Birdsville Hotel reception.
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By phoning hotel reception on 07 4656 3244.