Lake Amadeus, Australia

[Shampa Iftakhar]

Lake Amadeus is a huge salt lake located the southwest corner of Australia's Northern Territory, about 50 km north of Uluru or Ayers Rock. Another, slightly smaller, Lake Neale is located adjacent to the northwest. Both lakes lie on the Amadeus Basin that was filled with sediments eroded from the nearby mountains more than 500 million years ago. Because of the aridity, the lakes are inundated only during periods of heavy rain. For the most part, Lake Amadeus remains dry and coated with a thick crust of brilliant white salt. Dozens of small islands of red sand protrude centimeters above the surface of the lake. The plants that have taken root on these sandy islands are very hardy, and able to withstand salt as well as heat and drought.