In 2009, ABC journalist Paul Lockyer set out to document the story of the lake. Featuring photographs by John Bean, Gary Ticehurst and endpapers by artist John Olsen, the recently published book is an amazing view of the lake and surrounding area.

Lake Eyre: A journey through the heart of the continent by Paul Lockyer, with photos by John Bean and Gary Ticehurst

An truly amazing book about a truly amazing part of the country. Lake Eyre: A journey through the heart of the country can be found in all ABC shops and online, after it’s launch in March 2012. Click here for more incredible images from the book, and details from the launch.

After reading this captivating book, Goin’ Off Safaris invites you to jump on our Lake Eyre & Outback Safaris and see the wonder of Lake Eyre in flood for yourself. Fly over some of the most stunning and secluded parts of the country and visit iconic outback pubs, such as Innamincka, Birdsville, Coober Pedy and William Creek.

For more information about our Lake Eyre Safaris, click here.

CLICK HERE FOR GOIN’ OFF SAFARIS NEWSLETTER- APRIL 2012

With our 2 and 3 Day Lake Eyre & Outback flying tours about to commence, we are offering a special deal for our Lake Eyre tours in April. With limited seats available, the 2 Day Lake Eyre & Outback Ultimate Weekender departing on April 21-22, is now priced at $2320.00 per person all inclusive.

Our 3 Day Supreme Scenic Safari across Lake Eyre & the Outback on April 27-29th is now $2975.00 per person all inclusive.

Both flights represent significant value and savings with more information including itineraries, FAQ’s, images and more information on our website.

Departing from Adelaide, places of interest include the Spencer Gulf, Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound, Marree, Sturt Stony Desert, the Dig Tree, Innammincka, Coongie Lakes, Cooper Creek, Birdsville, Warburton Groove, William Creek, Coober Pedy and of course the massive Lake Eyre.

Book now to secure your seat for this great opportunity! Contact us at Goin’ Off Safaris here.

Lake Eyre is 60%covered as of 15th March 2012

Above is another image taken by the Outback photographer Peter MacDonald or The Sentimental Bloke as he is also known. Its very coincidental that after my last blog post on the current conditions of the very wet country side in northern South Australia and Lake Eyre, he sent me his latest blog of which I subscribe to.

Peter has been up and about the countryside and gave a brief report on the scenes that he saw & quoted;

“I ran a few photographs of the result of heavy rains that recently fell in the Flinders Ranges & Outback of South Australia. It’s becoming evident that rains we have had this year will equal or exceed those that fell in the last really big wet this region had…. & that was way back in 1974.

The rain is of course transformomg the land in many ways. The vast inland water system that is the- Lake Eyre Basin, Goyders Lagoon and the Coongie Lakes will fill again for the 3rd year in arow. Lake Eyre has water again over much of its surface & is continuing to fill. Huge amounts of water are heading from the north into this region…”

Well spoken from a man who knows his stuff! If you’re keen on getting up to to see this spectacular region, check out our 2 and 3 day Lake Eyre & Outback Tours and itineraries, dates, images & videos here on Goin’ Off Safaris web page and contact us to book your seat!

Cheers!

Goyders Lagoon, 80km SW of Birdsville

What a deluge of rain that we have seen fall across nearly all parts of the country of late! There are many places that have received way too much rain across many areas but pastrolists in the Outback regions cannot hide the smiles as many of the station owners recorded their annual average rainfall over a few very wet days just 2 weeks ago.

The result from this is enormous as most have recorded very little rainfall in the last 12 months and this recent event has just encouraged more growth and feed for cattle and refilled every dam, waterhole, creek and another catchment area. As reported by South Australia’s 639 North and West Radio last Thursday,the rains have also filled Lake Eyre South and Australia’s inland sea, Lake Eyre North is all ready 60% covered with water that has been flowing in from the Cooper Creek on the eastern side of the Lake and via the Warburton Creek and Macumba River into the Warburton Groove from the northern parts!

The whole river system is amazing which extends far and wide through the top northern parts of Queensland, all the way down the Channel Country via the Diamantina, Thompson, Barcoo & Georgina Rivers (just to name a few) to the lowest part of Australia, Lake Eyre at -15m below sea level.

Our pilots Chris Pfitzner and Tony Schwerdt, have been flying around the countryside on some evacuation missions to the gas fields of Moomba and nearby outback town of Innamincka. They say that from the bottom of Lake Frome all the way to Moomba, the Sturt Stony Desert was a sheet of water! Lake Frome was full, the Cooper Creek flowing ( which it has been for 2 months now and getting fuller and faster) and between the sandhills there was water everywhere! Tony predicted back in early February that this season, due to similar weather patterns at the time,  was shaping up just like 1974- the last time Lake Eyre completely filled. I cannot argue with him as I was only just brought into the world at the time but from all the summer rains in the Eastern states, he may be well on the money.

For anyone who wants to keep an eye out on the current status of Lake Eyre, the Lake Eyre Yacht Club has a very informative page to keep you up to date and can be found here.

Our Lake Eyre and Outback  tours are all underway and it is going to be another action packed season up north. These flying safaris are exceptional and for more details, please click here to Goin’ Off Safaris web page for our itineraries, images, FAQ’s, blogs and other information.

Below are some images kindly supplied by our man on the ground (and air), Peter MacDonald- The Sentimental Bloke. His images are up stunning and up to date, to highlight the region at its best so stay tuned for more of his work.

OutbackFloods-Flinders-Ranges

Parachilna Creek

Parachilna Creek

Thunderstorm about to strike!

Interestingly enough, I only have just got the chance to check out the award winning film, The Bucket List with famous actors Morgan Freeman & Jack Nicholson. Very coincidentally, one of passengers from our last trip commented that flying in and around the outback and Lake Eyre, should definitely be on everyone’s bucket list! Funnily enough, on Australian Travellers 100 Things To Do Before You Die 2011 Index, seeing Lake Eyre in flood comes in at No. 3. Clearly, Morgan & Jack didn’t have enough time in their own lists!

We had our last 2 trips in late October with more fantastic people on board to see the the amazing countryside going full steam. Even though there is still plenty of water in the Coongie Lakes, the Diamantina River around Birdsville and  Lake Eyre, our season has now closed until April 2012 when the when the outback temperature starts to cool down again!

Here is what our last guests had to say about their experinece with Goin’ Off Safaris;

” Jetting around these remote locations with a great bunch of people is the only way to go! Factor in pilots who are fabulous to hang out with & so approachable, was an unexpected bonus. The social side of our trip was so much fun. I would go on a trip anywhere organised by David Doudle and his company, Goin’ Off Safaris….” Deb, Geraldton WA

“Thankyou for a wonderful 3 days (it seemed much longer as we fitted so much into it). The food & accommodation was terrific. Special thanks to our 2 “perfect pilots and to David for your enthusiasm, which added to the trip immensely. And of course, our destinations were amazing……! Jenny, Melbourne Vic

” The most enjoyable trip that I have done in a long time! A beautiful birthday present from my lovely wife. Very well organised with pilots P1 & P2 fantastic. I will never forget Lake Eyre & the vastness of the water volume. Highly recommended to all……” Steve, Melbourne Vic

” I’d like to say a big  thank you for a wonderfully relaxed & safe Outback Experience.With all the great people onboard it was so much fun especially with those 2 “handsome”, capable & fun pilots P1 & P2! Thanks to David as well for his tremendous organisational skills…….” Nanda, Melbourne Vic

” I had a great time, enjoyed the company & the relaxed mood of it all. It would be great to include some Aboriginal history into the itinerary if possible. Thanks to all involved……” John, Melbourne Vic

“I had a great time, great adventure & really enjoyed the company. We would be interested in a a frequent user type system & sound like David & his Goin’ Off Safaris has a few adventures that we would be interested in! Thanks very much to the pilots & crew……..” Kevin, Brisbane Qld

” A fun time with an interesting & diverse group of people including all crew on board. The pilots were very experienced & inspired confidence given the extensive flying involved in this safari & varied conditions. A great way to see key Outback landmarks in comfort. Well chosen accommodation & meals were tremendous. Informative & interesting commentary from some of the “local characters” from local tours added to the experience……” Sylvia, Melbourne Vic

“Great food & people. Overall, a bloody good time……! Karen, Pt. Macquarie NSW

“Dear David…. Thank you for the most wonderful fun filled days…on the Lake Eyre & Supreme  3 day scenic safari.  When we have described the trip to friends we called it the ‘ lazy mans’ Outback adventure. To be fair the people on board were all short of time rather than lazy,  everyone had a really busy life with businesses and farms etc. The timing suited us and the amount of days was all we could give up as well.We just loved every minute… the flying part was much better than I thought and that was a pleasant surprise. The weather was kind too!Loved all the food and the accommodation and the places we visited were a dream come true for Steve and I.P1 and P2 were just lovely and thank God so skillful. We all loved the two bus tours too..Birdsville and Coober Pedy, what characters!You, also very relaxed and I never saw you get frustrated and annoyed…. Well done to you too David.Our Best wishes and we will certainly recommend your company to our friends… The trip was all we wanted it to be and more!   Lucky Us!!

“Our Lake Eyre & Outback Adventure was just a dream! We cannot thank you enough for organizing such a wonderful trip & we really could not fault a thing. It quickly became obvious that you go to a lot of trouble to make the trip a memroable in every way from the wonderful pilots P1 & P2, the local tours, accommodation, excellent hearty meals & the lovely characters at all our destinations. We had such a diverse fun group of people on the trip too (including yourself) which added to the great experience.Thanks again for such a great trip we will stay in touch……” Leigh, Brisbane Qld.

” A fabulous itinerary & thoroughly enjoyable. So pleased to have done this trip……” Heather, Melbourne Vic

” Excellent trip, especially the flight over the Coongie Lakes! Loved the Birdsville Hotel & cannot wait to come back for the races……” Evelyn, Adelaide SA

“As Australians, we should have done this trip before. It was all amazing!Put this one on your “Bucket List”……..!Lynda & Ken, Sydney NSW

Thats all folks until 2012. We will still take all inquiries & keep everyone posted on what is happening!

After completing our last 3 Day Supreme Scenic safari just last weekend, we again had a fantastic trip weather wise and whats better is that there are none of our local icons, those bloody black flies to give us the heebie jeebies! The countryside is just so vast, it is incredible. The volume of water in Lake Eyre is decreasing, especially in the northern part of the Lake, but our highly skilled pilots of Chris Pfitzner & Tony Schwertz ,can still show you the very best that the Lake Eyre has to offer by superb low level flying so that you capture some amazing scenes!

Here is what our latest guests have said about their experiences;

“A unique way to see the fabulous inland scenery, towns & characters- something that I never thought I’d get to do…..” Karenne, Sydney

“The highlight for me was the high standard of accommodation & services provided in the different towns we visited which far exceeded my expectations…..” Warwick, Sydney

“An unforgettable 3 day experience with everything of an impeccable standard…..” Paul, Perth

“Precisely as good as this trip had been described to me by a previous traveller, plus it must be said that the hosts (& pilots) are up there with the best in the business…..” Lori, Perth

“A wonderful experience to be able to see & be apart of a great Australian adventure, with friendly pilots & host – will always sing your praises! Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of the past 3 days…” Roger & Coral, Pt.Macquarie

” A great 3 day adventure! Tony & Chris are excellent pilots & great blokes with Fish an excellent tour guide. Enjoyed our trip & accommodation was first class with great meals. Would not hesitate to recommend this trip to our friends…..” Viv & Di, Brisbane

“Perfect in every aspect instilled with confidence by pilots Tony & Chris who were great company along with “Fish”, who could not have done any better. A thoroughly wonderful experience way beyond my expectations…..” Maureen, Sydney

“The Dig Tree & Birdsville Pub were stopover highlights.The vastness of the Goyder Lagoon & Lake Eyre were amazing & could not ask for a more friendly or obliging crew….” Kenny, Elliston, SA

“Really enjoyed the trip. Wonderful lot of people on the plane with us and the crew first class….” Lori, Denniliquan, Vic

“Well organised trip , for not one day but two.Then on the Metro liner climbed away we flew.The nights we saw, we’d not seen before. To us they were all new. Marree & Innamincka & lake & lakes & creeks not few. But of all the wonderous nights that we saw; none outshone the crew! Harvey & Nola, Perth ( very clever guys!)

“The colours, the company & the crew- all combined to make a very special trip for us all. And I’ll be back to the Birdsville Pub! Thanks……” Narelle, Melbourne

“The acrobatics in the air caused by “mother nature”, complemented the majesty of the scenery below & it was capped off by the crew & fellow “safarians”! Great stuff…..” Brenda, Melbourne

“Excellent trip! So much included in the one trip. The Dig Tree lunch stop was definately a highlight……” Pat, Denniliquan, Victoria

“Really enjoyed the Birdsville Pub & the tour by John Menzies at the Working Museum was a great experience. Innamincka Pub was very nice as well.Fish, Tony & Pfitzy were excellent tour guides & pilots…..” Ross, Elliston, SA

“I really enjoyed the museum at Birdsville & also liked flying over Lake Eyre. Thank you to Fish, Tony & Pfitzy who made the trip really enjoyable & educational!…….Tasha, Elliston, SA

“It was all that I had hoped for & more! To see Lake Eyre with so much water in it, probably wont happen again in our life time again! The South Australian hospitality was terrific, the service by the crew & fish was tops, the places we stopped at were amazing (as was the service) & a great lot of fellow travellers. Thanks so much!…….” Athene & Rob, Perth

” A very good, enjoyable trip. Service was terrific & food was of high standard. Enjoyed the company of everyone! Thanks……” Ingrid, Elliston, SA

” We could never have seen as much or appreciated the whole experience so much at ground level. Spectacular scenery, hospitable, helpful & knowledgeable crew & great people in the tour group. The perfect package & well done to Goin’ Off Safaris…..” Bob, Perth

“A great trip & great comedians for guides! Coober Pedy -GREAT…..” Eril & Gordon, Nhill, Victoria

“Met some wonderful people, experienced some magnificent outback characters & places & ate some wonderful food in surprising places; all with fish….!” Robert, Cummins, SA

“A wonderful trip, excellent itinerary. Tour guide Fish at his impeccable best! Lovely people on the tour & the pilots professional, approachable & good company. Overall thoroughly enjoyable & well done….! Fox, Cockaleechie, SA

“For South Australains, you did OK!( they are joking arnt they..?) A most informative, comprehensive, effecient & very friendly trip & thanks so much…..! David & Susie, Riddles Creek, Victoria

” A fantastic trip; all & more than we expected. The pilots were very professional & skillful. Tour guide(Fish) was multi skilled & entertaining with his humour……! Jan & Fred, Perth

A well thought out & interesting 3 day experience supported by experienced & professional people enabling me to appreciate more of the vastness, beauty & great contrasts of our Australia. Very interesting, informative trip covering this area of our magnificent country. Entertaining & great fun….! Joanne & Geoff, Maryborough, Qld

” So thrilled that we did not limit ourselves to only considering cost. The value is in the range of experiences we had, the people we met, the careful attention to details, the sense of fun & camaraderie of the guide & pilots and the hosts wherever we visited and the wonderful opportunity the trip provided to appreciate the beauty & vastness of this part of Australia. Well done & thanks….” Wendy, Cockaleechie, SA

If anyone is interested, we are looking at putting on another 3 day trip on October 28-30th, 2011. This will be our last trip for 2011!

Its unbelievable how just a few months ago, we couldnt drag the canoes out at Innamincka as the 6m water levels made this task slightly above the our “safety threshold” of management and now the water has flowed that quickly into Lake Eyre, that now there is insufficient amount of water to paddle in! To make up for this though is Gus and his friendly Blue Heeler dogs are all part of the act when we land at the Dig Tree for lunch. The wildflowers are a picture as is the Flinders Ranges and with the fantastic meals along the way at the Innamincka & Birdsville Pubs and the award winning Johns Pizza Bar in Coober Pedy, our guests are always well fed.

Here are our passengers thoughts from a recent trip which saw the crew arrive into Birdsville after the towns famous horse races!

“The 4 month wait was worth it. The trip was everything we had hoped for & more. Tony & Chris were fantastic with Coober Pedy a real highlight & really enjoyed the morning land based tour. Great accommodation & meals…..” Robert & Margeret, Brisbane

“Really enjoyed the tour! Chris & Tony were a great team & combined well. I like the idea of all the food & accommodation included…” Graeme, Brisbane

“A fantastic 3 days, extremely interesting, excellent organisation & accommodation great! A big thankyou to Tony & Chris for looking after us so well & making it all so enjoyable & fun….” Dorothy & Bob, Perth

“We had a truly remarkable experience & even though we have only been away a few days, we felt like it was much longer – due to what we have seen & the wonderful adventure! Neither of us has been on a flying trip before but we thouraly enjoyed our journey. Chris & Tony were wonderful & nothing to much trouble. All the places we stayed at offered us a wonderful taste of the outback & a unique experience of Australia. It was great having a small friendly group to share the experience with & we would highly reccommend this experience to all….” Jim & Marina, Melbourne

” Altogether a fantastic 3 days! I have thourougly enjoyed the company of fellow travellers, pilots & hosts. Would love to have spent more time in Coober Pedy as there is so much of interest there! Very enjoyable & very well organised trip. The program, the routes & the arrangements were all first class & worked like clockwork. The aircraft was an ideal size & was flown by very experienced & great blokes! A wonderful trip….” Patty & Jim, Melbourne

“Thankyou Tony, Chris & Goin Off Safaris for a wonderful, wonderful experience. We were so lucky to have 2 such talented, knowledgable & social pilots. Tony’s ability to manouvre the plane over Lake Eyre, Coongie Lakes to see the birds & Cooper Creek made it possible for everyone on board to view everything was outstanding. We have travelled all this area by 4WD, but could not compare with seeing it by the air. Birdsville was fabulous with the post race atmosphere as last time that we were there, we saw very few people! Great atmosphere with accommodation at Innamincka & Coober Pedy fascinating. Thankyou for the total experience…….! Sue & Rob, Brisbane

“Many thanks for a great 3 days….! Terry, Perth

Good evening David,

Apologies for not having written sooner – we had the best of intentions.  Firstly, a big thank you to “Goin’ Off Saffaris”.  You certainly have a first class crew – all three, Tony, Chris and Fish –  for whom we have nothing but admiration.  We can honestly say that the whole experience was beyond expectation for both of us. The pilots not only worked so well together in the cockpit that any fears were soon overcome, but also with Fish in the general organisation as well as entertaining us at mealtimes!  We are actually still taking it all in, having covered so much territory in such a short time. We were quite an eclectic group in a way but Fish, the epitome of  ’a people person’ brought out the best in everyone and we couldn’t help noticing the way he quietly but constantly checked that everyone was catered for at all times.   The choice of accommodation, meals etc. could not have been better and it is obvious that a great deal of thought and planning has gone into these details.  We’ve been telling everyone about our experience, starting with our taxi driver from the airport on Sunday night who was extremely interested, and will continue to do so although words and photos can’t really do it justice.   It is incredible to think that this time last week we were looking forward to and preparing for the trip and now it is a priceless memory.   We are sorry but we’ve both been racking our brains to be able to provide some constructive criticism but neither of us can come up with anything.

Once again, a big ‘thank you’ to Fish, P1 and P2 and yourself!

sincere and warmest wishes,

Warwick and Maureen Barber

Hi David, We have just arrived back from our 3 days tour and wanted to email
you immediately to THANKYOU for such a wonderful experience.We are both
still on a high. The 3 days of wonderment was something we shall never
forget.  Pilots Chris & Tony were fantastic, always having our comfort and
most importantly giving us all incredible opportunities to witness and
experience the Lake Eyre Basin and surrounding areas and what it has to
offer. Your Host ‘Fish’ is an absolute gem and kept us all informed of all
the history, areas we were approaching and making sure we were all ‘fed and
watered’ and comfortable.  The accommodation and eateries were second to
none. We will certainly be singing the tours’ praises in all aspects of
hospitality and diversity enabling us to experience more areas of our
wonderful country Australia.  Once again thank you for putting the tour
together and a wonderful team who made the whole experience unforgettable. We
shall be very grateful for any information on any other tours to the outback
next year so we can pass on our experience to others who are interested
Cheers and all the best for the future for Goin’ off Safaris,
Roger & Coral Reichelt
PORT MACQUARIE

I am pleased to say that our “safari” trip was a lot smoother; even after allowing for the acrobatics and a 90 knot head winds! Everything was laid back, casual with no bother as should be the case in any “Outback” experiences. The scenery was spectacular from the air & the crew welcoming, obliging & funny. The outback characters lived up to expectations & our fellow passengers on the journey were a great bunch of people.Overall, it was a great way to see this part of the country & when time is limited, Mother Nature may not provide another opportunity in my lifetime! I hope to get back to check out the Eyre Peninsula at some time in the future & have passed your details onto another co-worker who was excited to hear about our travels.

Keep up the great work & hope to have another opportunity to travel with Goin’ Off Safaris. Thanks heaps, Brenda- Melbourne.

Located bang on the Cooper Creek, the Dig Tree is just 36km NE from Innamincka or 9 minutes flying so it makes very easy access to get to this historical landmark and is one of the many great inclusions which you do get to experience in our 2 and 3 day Lake Eyre and Outback Flying safaris. I do have to mention a great read on the fateful expedition of Burke and Wills, by Sarah Murgatroyd which is simply titled; “The Dig Tree” – The story of Burke & Wills exploration of inland Australia.

All in all, the Dig Tree was just another highlight in a weekend full of highlights for another plane full of very happy customers, with fantastic weather, service and the outback hospitality continued at Innamincka, Birdsville &  William Creek. Here is what our guests said about the weekend;

” Had a wonderful trip! Loved Birdsville & especially the museum. Lake Eyre & the Dig Tree was just the best. Thanks to Tony, Chris, Fish & Goin’ Off Safaris for a great & most enjoyable trip…..” Lyn- Toowoomba, Qld

“Awesome trip & experience. Natural wonders seen by plane & canoe were a winning combination for me. Seeing Coopers Creek creeping into Lake Eyre from the air the day after we had travelled on it by canoe was way cool & one of the many highlights. Thanks to the Goin’ Off Safaris crew who made the experience lots of fun. Many, many thanks…..” Gabby- Perth, WA

” A lifetime of memories from one amazing weekend. Talk about a sunburnt country of droughts & flooding rains! Lake Eyre from the air in flood was amazing. Thanks to Fish, Phitzy & Tony for a wonderful time……..” Brett- Sydney, NSW

” I feel like I’ve had a new holiday at every step…. 7 holidays in 1 weekend. Thanks so much!…….Kirsten- Sydney, NSW

” I cannot think of a better way to spend a weekend. Flinders Ranges, Coongie Lakes, canoeing on the Cooper Creek, A fantastic trip, I loved it…….” Megan- Tara, Qld

” Thanks so much to Fish, Tony & Chris for 2 days of fantastic experiences! We had a brilliant time ( have all ready reccommended this to friends) and the tour was really well organised & interesting. Pilots fantastic with Fish a natural guide & an infectious enthusiasm. I think he was the most excited out of us all that we got to land at the Dig Tree! We had a great bunch of people on the tour which adds to the whole experience. Thanks again- it truly was a once in a lifetime experience………” Scott & Julie – Karkoo, SA

” A wonderful way to spend the weekend & being able to visit some of the iconic/historic towns & locations in Central Australia has been an unforgettable experience. Tony & Chris provided great flying skills backed up by our host, Fish. Thanks for everything…….” Suzanna & Colin- Barossa Valley, SA

With only 6 trips left until late October and limited vacancies, please contact us or go to our website for more details, images and a video of these sensational journey into the Outback and the wonders of the region.

One of the most historic