The real outback

Lake Eyre is usually a gleaming white saltpan, set in an area where rainfall evaporates almost before it hits the ground. When rain falls, an amazing transformation takes place. Plants sprout and flower at astonishing speed to complete their lifecycle before the great drought returns. The Lake Eyre dragon, a little spotted grey lizard, skitters across the surface. Its joined by dense flocks of birds soaring over vast expanses of wildflowers. A type of water-holding frog emerges from years of suspended animation to splash about happily. Cormorants, pelicans, gulls and black swans feast on brine shrimp that miraculously appear with the life-giving water.

In 2001, thousands of birds flocked to Lake Eyre as Queensland summer rains slowly flowed south to the desert basin. It was the second consecutive year that fish, birds, reptiles and plants transformed Lake Eyre into a desert oasis - usually a rare occurrence.

The lake is the world's largest saltpan, covering an area of almost 10,000 square kilometres. It drains a million square kilometres and was once thought to be Australia's mythical inland sea. The salt crust is often hard enough to drive on. In 1964 speedster Donald Campbell broke the world land speed record there. The view on a sightseeing flight from nearby William Creek is dramatic. You can also fly over the Lake Eyre national Park from Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in South Australia's Flinders Ranges, or drive to it along the Oodnadatta Track near Curdimurka.