Lake Gairdner

Lake Gairdner is a large endorheic salt lake in the Australian state of South Australia, to the north of the Eyre Peninsula. When in flood, the lake is considered the third largest salt lake in Australia.

Lake Gairdner is located about 440 kilometres (270 mi) northwest of the state capital of Adelaide and about 150 kilometres (93 mi) northwest of Port Augusta in the foothills on the northern side of the Gawler Ranges and to the west of Lake Torrens.^{[citation needed]}

The lake is over 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) across with salt over 1.2 metres (3 ft 11 in) thick in some places.^{[citation needed]}

Lake Gairdner was named by the Governor of South Australia, Richard MacDonnell in October 1857 after Gordon Gairdner, a Chief Clerk of the Australian Department in the Colonial Office.

Lake Gairdner along with Lake Everard and Lake Harris form the extent of the Lake Gairdner National Park. The lakes were all once part of an inland sea that stretched all the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Six ephemeral creeks feed the lake including Garden Well Creek, Gorge Creek and Yeltabinna Creek.

The land occupying the extent of Lake Gairdner was gazetted as a locality by the Government of South Australia on 26 April 2013 under the name 'Lake Gairdner'.

Lake Gairdner has been the site of various land speed record attempts on its salt flats. Since 1990 it has been the location for the annual Speed Week event run by the Dry Lakes Racers Australia, where drivers of various types of vehicles aim to break land speed records. Over six days in March 2025, 72 new speed records were set, with the event attracting over 1000 visitors.