Lake Macdonald

Lake Macdonald (Pintupi: Karrkurutinyja) is an ephemeral lake that straddles the border between Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It lies south of Lake Mackay, and south-west of Kintore, Northern Territory. Lying in country inhabited by Indigenous Australians for many thousands of years, it was first visited by Europeans in 1889, as part of an expedition supported by the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia. The expedition was led by William Tietkens; its activities included the first known photographs taken of Uluru.[1] The lake is named after the secretary of the Victorian branch of the Geographical Society at that time.[2] The area has been investigated for the mining of potash.[3]

This article is about the lake in outback Australia. For the reservoir in Queensland, see Six Mile Creek Dam.
Lake Macdonald
Lake Macdonald
Location on the Northern Territory and Western Australian border
LocationWestern Australia and Northern Territory
Coordinates23°30′S 129°00′E
TypeSalt lake
Native nameKarrkurutinyja  (Pintupi-Luritja)
Basin countriesAustralia
Max. length58 km (36 mi)
Max. width23 km (14 mi)

The lake marks the southern boundary of the Kiwirrkurra Indigenous Protected Area.[4]

The land around Karrkurutinyja was the birthplace of contemporary Indigenous Australian artists including Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungarrayi, Shorty Lungkarta Tjungurrayi[5] and Narputta Nangala, mother of Daisy Jugadai Napaltjarri.[6]

See also

References
  1. Hartwig, Mervyn (1976). "Tietkens, William Harry (1844 - 1933)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 30 March 2016 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  2. "The RGS involvement in early exploration". Royal Geographical Society of South Australia. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  3. "Lake MacDonald Potash Project, WA/NT". Rum Jungle Resources. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  4. "Kiwirrkurra". Indigenous Protected Areas. Country Needs People. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  5. "The artists". Papunya Painting: out of the desert. National Museum of Australia. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  6. "Narputta Nangala". Tradition And Transformation: Indigenous Art in the NGV Collection. National Gallery of Victoria. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
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