Lake Bonney Riverland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Bonney Riverland |
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Lake Bonney Riverland seen from Barmera
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 Lake Bonney Riverland
Location in South Australia
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| Location | Riverland, South Australia |
| Coordinates | 34°14′S 140°27′E / 34.233°S 140.450°E |
| Native name | Barmera Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help) |
| Primary inflows | Murray River |
| Primary outflows | Murray River |
| Catchment area | Murray Darling Basin |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Surface area | 16.2 square kilometres (6.25 sq mi) |
| Settlements | Barmera |
Lake Bonney Riverland (also called Barmera) is a large freshwater lake in the Riverland area of South Australia. It's like a big natural pool that gets its water from the Murray River and also drains back into it. The town of Barmera is right on its edge.
Contents
History of Lake Bonney
The first people to live around Lake Bonney were the Barmerara Meru clan. They are part of the Ngawadj people, who are the traditional owners of this land.
Early European Encounters
Europeans first saw the lake on March 12, 1838. This happened when Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney were moving livestock from New South Wales to Adelaide. This journey was called "overlanding."
Hawdon named the lake after his friend, Charles Bonney. He also wrote down that the local Aboriginal people called it "Nookampka."
At that time, the lake was full of water. But just three years later, in 1841, it was dry and muddy. This was when a police group led by Thomas O'Halloran passed by.
Mapping the Lake
In 1844, Charles Sturt explored the area. He was the first to map Lake Bonney and the creek that connects it to the Murray River. This creek is now known as Chambers Creek.
Sometimes, when the river was low, early settlers would even grow crops on the dry lake bed.
Water Levels and Changes
In 2007, a special gate called a regulator was put in place. This was done to save water in the Murray River system. The regulator cut the lake off from the river.
Because of this, the lake's water level dropped very low. It was the lowest since 1914. The water also became much saltier, which harmed wildlife. People couldn't do water sports either.
The regulator was removed in December 2010. After some wet summer and winter rains, the lake returned to its normal levels by April 2011.
Naming the Lake
The lake has had a few different names over the years.
Original and Changed Names
Joseph Hawdon named it Lake Bonney in 1838, after Charles Bonney. In 1908, the name was changed to "Lake Barmera, River Murray." But then, in 1913, it was changed back to "Lake Bonney" for historical reasons. There was another idea to rename it "Lake Barmera," but that didn't happen.
Another Lake Bonney
There is another lake in South Australia also named "Lake Bonney." This one is in the southeast, near the coast, in a place called Canunda. George Grey, who was the Governor of South Australia, named it after Charles Bonney in 1844.
Solving the Confusion
To avoid confusion, the District Council of Barmera asked the South Australian government to rename the southeastern lake. They suggested names like "Canunda" or "Coonunda."
In response to a request in 1981, the Geographical Names Board renamed both lakes. They became "Lake Bonney, Riverland" and "Lake Bonney SE" to tell them apart.
In 2014, the South Australian government gave Lake Bonney Riverland two official names: "Lake Bonney Riverland" and "Barmera." This was requested by a group called the "First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee Region."
Recreation and Fun
Since the 1950s, Lake Bonney has been a very popular spot for people on holiday. It's great for many water sports, especially sailing and water-skiing.
