Australia's Mystery Lake

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1922, Page 3

Australia's Mystery Lake

EXPEDITION TO INVESTIGATE

SYDNEY. March 2<). An attempt to solve the secret of

“.Mystery Lake”—for that is the title given by scion! ists to Lake Eyre, in the interior of Australia—will shortly be made by a scientific expedition.

Seven rivers from the hills miles away penetrate the desert of Australia’s interior, to finally tumble 'tin ir contents into the broad waters of Lake E\re. In the rainy leason these livers become enormous lii ode! areas, miles, wide. The Diamantins and th: Corner have been known to read) :t width of from 25 to 80 miles. For mentis great quantities of water are emptied into ibo “mystery” lake, sv,clung i‘ ,o Ps fullest capacity. The m\ story L tfln: I ake K\re lias no outlet, \ot in a surprising ly short time Iho broad inland sea Incomes a lake again. The of-aim oi flood water simply vanish. Science is frankly perturbed. It lias been suggested that, perhaps, deep down there are great subterranean rivers, continually draining off the surplus.

A move is to be mad.’ in a inonMi or two by nil export hydrographer, Mr G. Mulligan, of Sydney, io solve the interior’s mysteries. He has already had a glimpse of tl.o “mystery” lake, for last month he made a non-sop flight of TOO miles in an aeroplane, from Hie nearest settlement to th.’ Iplc-”. He

describes tlie lake and its surrounding as dreary desolation typified. It ;

about 100 miles long and fifty wide, with only a third of the basiii covered with wato’-. Tile remainder is a film of salt overhing black, oozy mud. He deprecates the sugge'-timi iliat the lake phenomenon might he caused by rapid evaporation. The disappearance of such a large quantity of water could not possibly be caused by evaporation, in his opinion.

The objects of the expedition which he will tinder* ake will he to explore rite waters of the lake, and see what fish and other creatures inhabit it. A small boring apparatus will he taken and laris sunk into the hod ol the lake if practicable. The probable outlet ol the artesian basin will be investigated, and a determined attempt to elucidate this conundrum will be made.