Exorheic Again in Magical Realism

  • July 24, 2024, 1:17 p.m.
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  • Public

There is a lake here, on the drive between here and Sydney.

Before we moved to Australia I was very excited because on the maps, it looked like a large inland lake at altitude, possibly swimmable, without too many critters. I did not realise it was mostly a dry lake, a grazing lake for cattle, made toxic by their excrement.

This lake is called an endorheic lake, as it has no outflow of water to rivers and oceans. It holds the same name as the “Queen of the American Lakes,” Lake George in New York State, 52 km / 32 miles from end to end. This is a beautiful, perennial, lake I have swum twice and enjoyed.

The Lake George in Australia is one of the country’s most studied lakes. A paleontologist once commented that “it is actually a depression that turns into a lake when it fills. There’s always water below the lake floor, and amazingly, it is saline, but if you have more rainfall, the lake fills up”. What a mystery.

At 25 km / 16 miles long and 10 km / 6.2 miles wide, Lake George is long, largely flat and extremely shallow, with a very small catchment. Evaporation and locals winds supposedly explain the mysterious drying and flooding episodes short and long term have been observed.

UFO sightings and stories of hauntings are common, especially for Australia. A boatload of young military men, drowned of hypothermia during WW2. Ghostly hitch hikers.

Just before I was born swans were common on the lake but afterwards they left because the lake dried up. Artists made installations out of their abandoned feathers.

When I came to this place, the lake had been dry for many many years. Since I have been here, it flooded and effectively became a true lake. Not one I would swim in, but a real lake. It is unique and beautiful in colour.

I am leaving this place tomorrow, and while I’m not a betting woman (I prefer to save my luck for more important things) I will not be surprised if the lake dries up again.

I have so missed the sea.


Last updated July 24, 2024


Complicated Disaster July 24, 2024

I expect the sea misses you too :) xx

Ginger Snap July 24, 2024

Ooooo...foreshadowing?

Athena July 24, 2024

You are leaving Australia?

Satine Athena ⋅ July 24, 2024

no, just to a coastal city here.

Athena Satine ⋅ July 24, 2024

Fun! What made you decide to move?

Satine Athena ⋅ July 25, 2024

I lived by the lake in Canberra but it's a shallow, manmade lake. This lake is named after an American architect who won a contest to design the new capitol of Australia about 100 years ago. It's likely his wife, also an American, from Chicago was the real designer.

Just typed all that and didn't answer your question.

The answer is...new job in Sydney. And probably my soul :)

woman in the moon July 24, 2024

Thank you for this entry. I learned a lot. I have some map study in my future.
We have ponds that dry up and wet up. Always a mystery why some do it and others don't.

Jigger July 24, 2024

It’s a sad lake. I hope you get to the ocean soon. Good to see you.

Calicakes July 31, 2024

The lake sounds fascinating. Good Luck on your move.

kmh. September 05, 2024

Lake George, know it well. Always dry every time we drove past it on visits to Canberra my whole childhood and teenage years.
Haven't been past since it has filled again, but seen photos family and friends have posted, and yeah wow, bit of a trip to see!

Echoes to the evolution March 21, 2025

How the hell you did years in Canberra stumps me but oh so glad you jumped to Sidders!

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