We have been working in this area for 50 years and are the original Lake Eyre operation. Many others, including airlines, have tried to copy our operation, but have not been able to offer the same experience.
LAKE EYRE: 2 DAY ACCOMM. SAFARI – FLINDERS RANGES – WILPENA POUND – BURKE AND WILLS’ DIG TREE, QUEENSLAND – BURKE’S GRAVE, S.A. – COOPER CREEK – OVERNIGHT INNAMINCKA – COONGIE LAKES – BIRDSVILLE – GOYDER LAGOON – WHOLE OF LAKE EYRE NORTH AND SOUTH – LEIGH CREEK – ADELAIDE. A COMPETENT AND COMPLETE COVER.
TOUR CODE: LE/INN/2
MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU FLY WITH THE BEST – WE STARTED LAKE EYRE FLIGHTS 50 YEARS AGO – AND IF YOU WILL FORGIVE US, WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE THE BEST BY A VERY LONG OUTBACK MILE.
LAKE EYRE is a Central focus point of this flight, however it is a small part of a hugely varied and very rich flight over this outback part of Australia. Your safari will cover a large part of Australia, its outback history and its interesting legends.
Normally, heavy rains in Tropical Australia create restoring floods which flow hundreds of kilometres down through country such as Dajarra, Boulia, Winton and Longreach. When these floods reach the Birdsville-Lake Eyre-Cooper Creek basin country they fill the channels, waterholes, billabongs, claypans and lakes that create the surface of this country. This year, 2019, these floods are more of a refreshing and top-up flow.
The channel country of South Australia.
This normal water flow still gives life to fish, crustaceans, etc. which attract some breeding pelicans and waterbirds, such as banded stilts, cormorants, spoonbills, etc. These annual tropical rains give life to the land and create a host of dependent animal, bird and plant life. It is amazing to see thousands of square kilometres of vast desert country, then find the country refreshed from this recent flooding.
Dick Lang was the first to operate to Lake Eyre in 1969 and every year since.
Your safari is the most comprehensive and interesting trip of Outback South Australia and Queensland. You have the history, legend, beauty and relaxation of our Centre, all in an action-packed two day safari. (Dick and Helen Lang were part owners of the Innamincka Pub during the historic, huge floods of 1974 and have a great knowledge of this area).
What better way to do this than with people who have lived and worked in the Outback for many years, who know the people, the stories and the land.
DAY 1 Depart from the General Aviation Terminal, Adelaide Airport, at 8.30 a.m. (Please be ready for check-in at 8.00 a.m.) Fly north, passing Wilpena Pound to land at 
Leigh Creek to refuel. Over the rugged and isolated Gammon Ranges, Mount McKinlay, Arkaroola, Mount Painter, Mount Fitton Talc Mines and Mount Hopeless. View Lake Frome and Lake Callabonna, once the home of the giant diprotodons – but now a world-famous fossil site. See Lake Blanche which can be filled by the Strzelecki. Lunch in the aircraft as we fly over the Strzelecki Desert to touch down on a small bush strip on the banks of Coopers Creek at Nappamerrie.
We walk 400 metres to view the famous Dig Tree (PLEASE NOTE THAT HEAVY RAINS RENDER THIS AIRSTRIP UNUSABLE). Listen to the saga of the struggling explorers,
Burke’s Grave, Innamincka Waterhole
Burke and Wills. Return to our aircraft for a short flight back into SA, to land at Innamincka. We may have access to a small bus if the roads are open, to take us down to the banks of beautiful Cooper Creek. Visit lonely Burke’s Grave in a beautiful grove of gum and coolibah trees on the bank of the Cooper. An alternative drive may be through very interesting outback landscape to lonely King’s Marker of B&W fame, on the edge of remote Cooper Creek. Overnight motel, Innamincka.
DAY 2 Depart Innamincka, flying across the beautiful Coongie Lake system – a huge inland lake system in the heart of a desert – wetlands, quite rare throughout the world. Fly over the edge of Sturt’s Stony Desert, then over typical country of the Simpson – claypans, flats and sand dunes. Fly into Queensland to land at Birdsville and possibly a drink in the Birdsville Pub. Depart Birdsville, flying over the spectacular Channel Country of Goyder’s Lagoon on the Diamantina River. Fly along the edge of the Simpson Desert and the Tirari Desert, following the mighty Warburton River on its path to Lake Eyre. We see the various rivers which can empty into Lake Eyre as we descend for a flight down the length of this giant lake.
Fly past the mouth of Madigan Gulf, where Donald Campbell broke the world land speed record in 1966 in the Bluebird. Eight years later Dick Lang established a world record by ski-ing across Lake Eyre eight metres above this former racetrack. Because of very heavy tropical rainfall in outback Queensland, you may see the surface of Lake Eyre partly covered with water – or the incredible beauty of its glistening surface. Fly across Lake Eyre South, to view the renewed Marree Man, a giant figure carved in the ground, before descending to land at Leigh Creek again to refuel. Fly south over the Flinders Ranges, past Hawker, Balaclava to St
Pelicans feeding, Cooper Creek.
Vincent Gulf, before landing back at Adelaide Airport by 5 – 5.30 p.m.
DEPARTS: The itinerary above will operate on Aug 2, 31, Sept 3, 8, 17, 24, Oct 1.
FARE: All inclusive – all air travel as stated, fuel levies, taxes, all ground travel as stated, all meals and accommodation.
Two people travelling together and sharing accommodation – $ 2,255 per person.
Single Person travelling alone – $2,376.
This air safari is currently being operated with our associate Bruce Hartwig Flying School Ltd trading as Hartwig Air (AOC) with our own aircraft and pilot.
Please note that your fare covers the number of days stated and does not cover any extra allowance for meals and accommodation due to delays caused by any other situations.
Burke’s face, carved into a Coolibah Tree at Nappamerrie, is often referred to quite erroneously as The Dig Tree. Hear the authentic fascinating story of the drama which unfolded beneath these boughs.