Lake Mackay Lake

Lake Mackay is a large ephemeral salt lake in central Australia, located across the boundary area of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Its broad, flat salt-pan surface is typical of major interior Australian salt lakes.

The lake is largely dry for long periods and forms a salt crust when its basin dries; after heavy rains the shallow basin can flood into a wide shallow lake. The surrounding landscape is arid spinifex and desert country and the lake is remote.

The lake and its basin are part of traditional lands of local Aboriginal peoples and feature in Indigenous place names and country narratives.

Geographically the lake lies in the central desert region of Australia, well inland from the coastal regions, and is surrounded by flat arid plains and sand ridges.

• Indigenous name and extent: Also known by its Pintupi name, Wilkinkarra, and straddles the border area between the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

• Visit in the cooler months (roughly April-September) for more comfortable conditions and safer overland travel; the area is extremely remote so try to combine with a planned outback itinerary.
• Lake Mackay sits on Indigenous lands and large stretches are subject to access restrictions-check with Northern Territory/Western Australian land councils and obtain any required permits before attempting overland access.
• Because there are few or no roads and no visitor facilities nearby, consider a scenic flight from Alice Springs or regional air operators for the best perspective and to avoid long, difficult 4WD tracks.