Updated: 11 Mar 2004
Largest Lakes and Reservoirs
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Australia is not well endowed with natural lakes containing plentiful supplies of water. Both rainfall and runoff can be highly variable across the continent and so many rivers have had dams containing large reservoirs constructed on them, to meet water and power supply needs.
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Largest Lakes by State/Territory
These lakes are the largest waterbodies, whether natural or constructed.
| STATE/TERRITORY |
LAKE |
| NAME |
AREA (km2) |
| South Australia |
Lake Eyre (salt) |
9500 |
| Western Australia |
Lake Mackay |
3494 |
| Northern Territory |
Lake Amadeus (salt) |
1032 |
| New South Wales |
Lake Garnpung |
542 |
| Tasmania |
Lake Gordon |
270 |
| Queensland |
Lake Dalrymple |
220 |
| Victoria |
Lake Corangamite |
209 |
| Australian Capital Territory |
Lake Burley Griffin |
7.2 |
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Largest constructed reservoirs by State/Territory
These lakes, held back by dams, are the largest waterbodies serving water and power supply needs.
| STATE/TERRITORY |
NAME |
CAPACITY
(million m3) |
| DAM |
RESERVOIR |
| Tasmania |
Gordon |
Lake Gordon |
12450 |
| Western Australia |
Ord River |
Lake Argyle |
10760 |
| New South Wales |
Eucumbene |
Lake Eucumbene |
4798 |
| Victoria |
Dartmouth |
- |
4000 |
| Queensland |
Burdekin Falls |
Lake Dalrymple |
1860 |
| Northern Territory |
Darwin River |
- |
259 |
| Australian Capital Territory |
Corin |
- |
75.5 |
| South Australia |
Mount Bold |
Mount Bold |
45.9 |
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Salt lakes are normally dry, appearing as glittering sheets of salt that stretch to the horizon. Lake Eyre filled only three times last century, and Lake Torrens only once.
| NAME |
STATE |
SIZE (km2) |
| Lake Eyre |
SA |
9 500 |
| Lake Torrens |
SA |
5 745 |
| Lake Gairdner |
SA |
4 351 |
Source: Geoscience Australia MAPDATA TOPO 2.5 million database.
