Sleaford Mere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sleaford Mere |
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 Sleaford Mere
Location in South Australia
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| Location | Proper Bay Road, Sleaford, South Australia |
| Coordinates | 34°50′08″S 135°44′26″E / 34.835673°S 135.740615°E |
| Type | Endorheic basin |
| Native name | Kuyabidni Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help) |
| Etymology | Parish of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, England |
| Part of | Southern Basins Prescribed Wells Area |
| Primary inflows | local runoff & groundwater |
| River sources | none |
| Primary outflows | none |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Managing agency | Department for Environment and Water |
| Designation | Conservation park |
| Max. length | about 4.8 to 6.4 kilometres (3 to 4 mi) |
| Max. width | about 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) |
| Surface area | 7.07 km2 (2.73 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 0.61 to 0.91 metres (2 to 3 ft) ("a few feet deep") |
| Salinity | 23.0 – 64.0 millisiemens per cm |
| Surface elevation | 20 metres (66 feet) |
| Islands | ‘some small islands.’ |
Sleaford Mere (also called Kuyabidni) is a permanent salt lake in South Australia. It's located on the Jussieu Peninsula, which is at the southeastern tip of the Eyre Peninsula. The lake is about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) southwest of Port Lincoln.
The British explorer Matthew Flinders gave the lake its modern name on February 26, 1802. Since 1969, Sleaford Mere has been part of the Sleaford Mere Conservation Park. In 2005, it was recognized as a nationally important wetland. People enjoy visiting the lake for fun activities like canoeing.
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About Sleaford Mere
Sleaford Mere is a salt lake that always has water. It covers an area of about 7.07 square kilometers (2.73 sq mi). The lake is roughly 5 to 6.5 kilometers (3 to 4 miles) long from north to south. It is about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) wide from west to east.
Reports say the lake is only "a few feet deep." It also has "some small islands." Since 2003, the lake has been located within the area known as Sleaford.
How Sleaford Mere Gets Water
Sleaford Mere gets its water from two main sources. It receives water directly from local rainfall that runs off the land. It also gets water indirectly from underground sources called groundwater.
The area around the lake gets about 500 millimeters (20 inches) of rain each year. Experts are still studying if the groundwater comes from one large underground water source or several smaller ones. The lake is part of a special area called the Southern Basins Prescribed Wells Area. This area helps manage drinking water for the Eyre Peninsula, between Port Lincoln and Coffin Bay.
Lake Formation and Geology
Sleaford Mere formed in a natural dip in the land. This dip is made of a type of rock called limestone. This limestone layer is known as the Bridgewater Formation.
Plants and Animals at Sleaford Mere
Plants Around the Lake
You can find special rock-like structures called Stromatolites at the edge of the lake. These are formed by tiny living things. The land right next to the lake has tall, open shrubland. This area is mostly covered by dryland tea-tree and a type of sedge called Gahnia trifida.
Some important plant species found here include the common spleenwort and the Eyre Peninsula bitter-pea. There's also an introduced tree called Aleppo pine. In 2009, this tree was seen as a risk because it could spread too much.
Animals Living Near the Lake
Sleaford Mere is a great place for birds. The northern part of the lake is a good home for the southern emu-wren. The lake provides food for birds, like small fish called ‘hardy heads’. Birds like the Pacific gull, pied cormorant, pied oystercatcher, red-capped plover, and silver gull eat these fish.
Two bird species protected by international agreements also visit the lake: the sharp-tailed sandpiper and the curlew sandpiper. Other important birds seen here include the fairy tern, hooded plover, and musk duck.
The lake also has marine fish species. This includes a large group of skates that are stuck in the lake. You might also see Western grey kangaroos near the lake. However, foxes, which are not native to Australia, are also found here. Programs are in place to control their numbers.
History of Sleaford Mere
Aboriginal History
In 2009, it was noted that the lake and nearby land are important to the Barngala and Nauo peoples. As of 2009, there were no official records of the lake or any items found near it being very important to Aboriginal traditions, archaeology, or history. The native name for the lake was recorded in 1908 as Kuyabidni, also spelled Kujabidni.
European History
Matthew Flinders saw the lake on February 26, 1802. He named it Sleaford Mere after a parish in Lincolnshire, England. Flinders visited the lake hoping to find drinking water. However, he discovered the water was too salty to drink.
He described the lake like this: "This piece of water was named Sleaford Mere. It is one mile broad, and appeared to be three or four in length. The shore was a whitish, hardened clay, covered at this time with a thin crust, in which salt was a component part."
Activities at Sleaford Mere
People mainly use Sleaford Mere and the nearby Lincoln National Park for fun activities. These activities are popular with people living in the lower Eyre Peninsula and visitors. As of 2007, a walking trail from Lincoln National Park goes along the east side of the lake.
In 2009, the lake was sometimes used for canoeing, especially by school and holiday groups. You can also swim in the lake. However, its shallow depth and high saltiness might make swimming less appealing. In 1980, a "holiday complex" was reported to be on the southern shore of the lake.
Protected Status of the Lake
Sleaford Mere and some land around it became a national park in January 1969. This was done to protect the important feeding areas for wading birds. In 2005, Sleaford Mere was added to a list of nationally important wetlands in South Australia. This list is part of A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia.
