Heavy rains in South Australia last week filled the amazing and transient Lake Eyre and stranded about 50 tourists in the remote and colourful William Creek Hotel.
The tiny town of William Creek is home to only 60 people, and the pub. The pub and the town and the outback airline WrightAir are all owned by publican, Trevor Wright.
The first half of last week saw heavy storms fall on rural South Australia, and the town, which averages 4-6 inches of rain annually saw about 2-3 inches rapidly swamp the eponymous Creek.
Wright told The Advertiser the guests were happy and well-watered.
“Running out of beer is the least of our problems … we’ll be out of food before beer.”
One of the stranded tourists, 20-year-old Laura Kromann, from Denmark, said the group is making the most of it.
“I was a bit worried being stuck in nowhere and not being able to get anywhere, but it’s a party now.”
The Lake Eyre basis is around 700 kilometres north of Adelaide, and contains the lowest natural point in Australia, around 15m below sea level. It floods and fills only every few years, but when it does it is the largest lake in the country.
The Arabana people have native title over the region, and call it Kati Thanda. The lake’s official name is Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.
