| Lake Gairdner | |
| Pushpin Map: | Australia South Australia |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in South Australia |
| Location: | Central South Australia |
| Coords: | -31.5667°N 136°W |
| Type: | Endorheic, salt lake |
| Basin Countries: | Australia |
| Designation: | Lake Gairdner National Park |
| Length: | 160km (100miles) |
| Width: | 48km (30miles) |
| Elevation: | 121 m (397 feet)[1] |
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.[2]
Lake Gairdner is located about northwest of the state capital of Adelaide and about northwest of Port Augusta in the foothills on the northern side of the Gawler Ranges and to the west of Lake Torrens.
The lake is over 160km (100miles) long and 48km (30miles) across with salt over thick in some places.
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.[3]
Six ephemeral creeks feed the lake including Garden Well Creek, Gorge Creek and Yeltabinna Creek.[4]
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'.[5] [6]
It has been a site for various land speed record attempts on its salt flats and is currently the location for the annual Speed Week event run by the Dry Lakes Racers Australia.[7] [8]