Lake Frome
Lake Ephemeral salt lake in South Australia, flat saltpan
East of South Australia lies Lake Frome, a mostly dry salt pan within a protected plain. Photographers, 4x4 drivers and scientists visit the stark playa and surrounding arid landscapes.
Lake Frome is an endorheic salt lake in the remote arid interior of South Australia. It forms a broad, flat salt pan that is typically dry for long periods and fills episodically after significant rainfall.
The surface is a wide, level salt crust and the lake is noted for its stark, open character rather than developed visitor facilities; it is visited mainly by those undertaking remote outback travel. Wildlife is sparse and the surrounding terrain is arid pastoral and conservation land.
The lake is a natural landform in South Australia’s interior and has long been part of the region’s arid landscape; it has not supported permanent settlement and has been managed as remote pastoral and conservation country.
Lake Frome sits in eastern South Australia in a sparsely populated, arid zone; access is by unsealed outback tracks and it lies within a large, remote pastoral and conservation region.
How to Get to Lake Frome #
Drive: Lake Frome sits hundreds of kilometres from Adelaide. Access is via unsealed outback tracks off the Stuart and Barrier Highways; a high-clearance 4x4 is essential. Visitors should obtain maps and permits from South Australia National Parks before travelling.
Tips for Visiting Lake Frome #
- If attempting to visit Lake Frome, obtain permits and up-to-date track information from South Australia National Parks-this is remote desert country.
- Use a high-clearance 4x4 and carry extra water and a satellite communication device; mobile coverage is unreliable.
- Respect cultural restrictions-some parts of the lake lie within Indigenous protected areas.
Best Time to Visit Lake Frome #
Best in cooler months for safe overland travel; the lake is an immense, reflective salt pan most of the year and becomes treacherous in summer heat.
Weather & Climate near Lake Frome #
Lake Frome's climate is classified as Hot Desert - Hot Desert climate with hot summers (peaking in January) and cool winters (coldest in July). Temperatures range from 7°C to 33°C. Very dry conditions with minimal rainfall.
January
January is the warmest month with highs of 33°C and lows of 22°C. Light rainfall.
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February
February is warm with highs of 32°C and lows of 22°C. Light rainfall.
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March
March is warm with highs of 30°C and lows of 19°C. Light rainfall.
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April
April is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 14°C. The driest month with just 7 mm.
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May
May is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 10°C. Light rainfall.
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June
June is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 8°C. Light rainfall.
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July
July is the coolest month with highs of 18°C and lows of 7°C. Light rainfall.
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August
August is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 8°C. Light rainfall.
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September
September is cool with highs of 23°C and lows of 11°C. The driest month with just 7 mm.
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October
October is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 14°C. Light rainfall.
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November
November is mild with highs of 29°C and lows of 18°C. Almost no rain.
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December
December is warm with highs of 32°C and lows of 20°C. Almost no rain.
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