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JW Lewis had been sent north to explore Lake Eyre and discover its boundaries. His map of the areas north and east of Lake Eyre revealed the complexity of its tributary rivers, the Warburton and Cooper Creek. After establishing his base camp 18 miles east of Mount Margaret, Umbun Creek and the Neales River were traced down to the lake. Lewis himself surveyed the lake's shore. The Warburton River was explored upstream and found to be a separate river from Cooper Creek. Other waterways surveyed included the Gerty, Eleanor and Everard Creeks. The western shore of the lake was not shown as this had been mapped during earlier expeditions.

Lake Eyre is Australia's largest lake but it is unfortunately a dry salt lake. It sometimes floods but fills completely only on rare occasions, The lake itself covers approximately 9,300 square kilometres and drains an even larger area of more than a million square kilometres. Although it is fed by intermittent streams from central Australia and western Queensland, the lake is usually dry. When it begins to fill with flood water it attracts bird life and tourists. Lake Eyre sits over Australia's enormous natural water reservoir, the Great Artesian Basin.

Lewis, J. W. (James Walton) 1841-1881

Kotwicki, V Floods of Lake Eyre Adelaide: Engineering and Water Supply Dept., 1986

Serventy, Vincent The desert sea: the miracle of Lake Eyre in flood South Melbourne [Vic.]: Macmillan, 1985

Threadgill, Bessie South Australian land exploration, 1856 to 1880 Adelaide: Board of Governors of the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery of South Australia, 1922

A Natural history of the Lake Eyre region: a visitor's guide Port Augusta, S. Aust.: National Parks and Wildlife Service's Northern Consultative Committee, 1991

The Great filling of Lake Eyre in 1974 edited by C. Warren Bonython and A Stewart Fraser, Adelaide: Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australian Branch, 1989

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing. Taking it to the edge, August 2004