from what I know of Gairdner there is even more limited access to Gairdner.
the speed runs are done at the south end of the lake where there is reputedly 2m of salt crust. The only info I have on the lake is a geological survey from the 70's
as you go north the salt thins out, about 40kms up the lake. then the mud starts for the next140kms . finally there is the 20kms of cross country of gibber( Im guessing that bit) but a local hill name is stony top hill. my map is 30years old, but there is a track marked folling the land route to the west, even some station names.
crossing eyre E-W or W-E is only 90kms..
south of eyre and east of Gairdner is Lake Torrens 220kms long, virtually no salt and soft, except for the weekend that a Landsailor called Chet Cox just turned up and sailed most of its length in a couple of days, freaking everybody out.
He wanted to go back and do it again as a fundraiser for the flying doctor service, but the lake became unsailable.
The big difference between these lakes and Eyre is that they , like Lefroy, have a very small , catchment area, compared to Eyres massive supply from Qld rivers.
theoretically that would make them more consistent and predictable in terms of surface conditions
sadly a landyacht speed record must be done on a natural surface , I do wonder how rough and dry the salt would be at that time of year. bill finch went there with VINDICATOR in 1996? and the lake was wet and sloppy on top of the hard stuff, and then it rained on them
I think grading would be a bit un-natural. but if the wind was up and the surface was good , you would have your witnesses, and get your speed readings from your GPS gear.
that was our thoughts at the time
As Paul rightly said the record was to be on a natural surface. The other bit used to be (don't know if it still is) that the speed was over a distance of 500 metres measured through "traps". This makes the whole speed record thing different from GPS (as previously discussed).
Is one right, one wrong? No, just makes the "trap" speed records more meritorious as the spike speeds are averaged and you have to go down the course, not neccesarily the direction which will give the fastest spike.
Wonder where you find the actual speed record rules?? (not the hearsay version)
I have researched via internet the Archives of The South Australian Library. There seems to be around 300 articles that directly relate to Lake Eyre in there.
They cover books, pamphlets, citations, maps, charts, manuscripts, web resources, still photography, movie film, mixed media etc.
From the early records of Eyre and Warburton, later scientific studies, that entailed many, many people working on and around the lake. There has been no dooms day catastrophe.
The people involved were smart enough to negotiate the bull **** and pits of death etc. Common practice for survey parties, not reality TV or commercial beat ups, designed to placate the lounge room Yuppie. This is real Australia.
The only problem I have been able to unearth was a tourist associated aircraft where the pilot did something he wished he hadn’t [pilot error]. Confused his horizon and inadvertently had a hard, or soft landing upon a section of the lake. The passengers were retrieved, not rescued. The plane was not recovered and still sits there, stripped to a shell.
On the earlier forum post page7 someone has mentioned in passing, Camels could be the way to go across the lake. Not altogether so. With their drivers, maybe, but not wild [ferals], as depicted in the displayed pages of Roma’s book. Quoted completely out of context, by someone whom likes to do that, mainly for sensationalism.
All wild and domesticated animals will smell water from a long way off and exert themselves to get to the source. Even if they endanger themselves. They tramp on pipes, dig down, fly into small wells etc. Not the practice of knowing people. Animal instinct can kill.
For those in the forum who can read, have the time and enjoy doing so, I would like to recommend a great little book. “Poddy” Allston wrote in conjunction with one other, of his time in the LE area as a policeman and then later as a publican on the Birdsville Track. The book usually able to be found by your library service, it has been out of publication for some time. Called Savagery of Central Australia. Or something very like that. I read it a few years ago and enjoyed it immensely……factual Australia of the time. LE related.
The records previously set, by Coronation back in 1952, Bertrand Lambert in about 87, Tardag Normand and others all complied with a set of Internationally agreed rules. Last time I looked seriously these were being ratified by Guiness Records organisation in association with FISLY. This was what Bill was looking at with Vindicator too. I don't seem to be able to find any reference to rules now, so I guess there aren't any! (And for what it's worth NALSA stands for North American, which I ain't!)
Guiness seems happy to accept Iron Duck and Windjet. Rchard made the decision to do his own record to the standard that Nalsa has set. and had previously been ratified by Guiness. As far a Im aware , FISLY has no problem with that
Thanks everyone for the good wishes in the past few weeks....
My first job after my forced break was a production in Alice Springs, on the 1500km drive from Adelaide to Alice plenty of time to see the salt lakes along the way....
Lake Bumbunga (Lochiel) = wet
Lake Dutton = wet
Island Lagoon = Large patches of water
Lake Hart= Very wet, total coverage
Lake Gairdner (north end) = Large patches of water
It became drier around Coober Pedy area then about 150km further on, all the way to Alice Springs what was in last 5 years partched is now bright green.
The Red center of Australia should now be called the Green centre.
If you have ever wanted to see the wild flowers of the outback now is the time to do it.
The Todd river in Alice Springs has flooded 3 times since Christmas and still has many pools of water in the river in town, the Finke river is wet but not flowing.
According to the locals the wettest its been for 10+ years.
The flight back showed LARGE patches of water on Lake Eyre and surrounding lake areas.
And we aren't even in winter yet....
IT would seem that Harold Clisby was possibly the person who took the first
landyacht trip upon Lake Eyre late 50's early 60's. A pretty interesting sort of
bloke. Some background here www.collingrovehillclimb.com.au/haroldclisby/
Of course.......... he was a south australian 
couldnt find the Lake Eyre reference.
Is it typical for SA blokes to keep building engines even after the find out they wont be allowed[}:)]
Sorry you may have misunderstood me....I think,
Harold Clisby, is the whisper to possibly have been the man.
It would seem from what i dug up that he may have been most capable
From his design and production background. General motoring and chassi
related experience, I have a feeler out to a relation to see if there is any real
knowledge, in the family, of the event. IE any written record, somewhere
maybe in family diaries. Time may tell .
facsinating read last night of the Roma Dulhunty book. With cross referencing to current websites, Ive made a few observations
she frequently mentions the winter winds, but no direction!
The interesting bit , the Peninsulars , is out of bounds to the public-thats us! This would need to crossed or rounded to the north end(the slush zone).
There is no public access across Goyder channel so your access on the east side of the lake is very limited with NO camping allowed.
Rita's outback guide says that driving on the lake is an offence, The SA dept of Environment and Heritage says it is extremely inadvisable. perhaps somebody could confirm the offence bit for us
Access on the west side is Via Oodnadatta track and William creek, so youd need a fleet of drivers to get vehicles to the other end. the access is to Halligan bay, way up on the red clay, north of the slush zone..
With all this in mind I think you would need at least 1 4WD quadbike with trailer as a basic support for your Kite Buggies. I think that a Landyacht attempt would be inadvisable.
Basically in order to attempt a landyacht crossing , you would have to tresspass on at least 2 stations,2?national parks, be committing vehicle offences for your yachts and your support vehicles.
sorry joe , but I would be a no on this one
More little bits of the story found
From The Age July 13th 1964.
“ Ill wind will blow Land Yachts… Lake Eyre [ South Australia ]
Some of the men associated with the Bluebird Project were busy building a land yacht yesterday.
While the wind kept the Bluebird stationary, they would be able to sail the three wheeled machine over the huge flat surface of Lake Eyre.
Two rival troupes, The Lake Eyre Yacht Club and The Lake Eyre Yacht Squadron have said they will build and race the yachts.
Both have asked British speed driver Donald Campbell to be patron of their group.”
Also an informative site to visit. About lotsa Aussie Lakes
Dry Lake Racers Australia
www.dlra.org.au/ref-salt-lakes.htm
