We arrived at Lake Bonney late in the afternoon of 3rd September 2008, having driven east from Port Augusta on our way home from Darwin. By the time we had set up camp on it's shores the light was beginning to fade.

Lake Bonney is the Geographic Centre of the Riverland.
The natural sparkling fresh water lake is fed from the mighty Murray River via Chambers Creek.
Whether you are a nature lover, into history, a keen fisherman, or after the excitement of skimming over the water, Lake Bonney offers it all...........

Discovered by Joseph Hawdon on March 12, 1838 Lake Bonney was once known as "Nookamka". Hawdon. being the first European overtander through the vicinity, re-named the inland lake after his friend Charles Bonney.
'Following the discovery, Lake Bonney became a sought after destination as the overlanders, whilst using the "Stony Pinch Track" stopped to water their stock enroute between Ral Ral and Wentworth.

It soon became apparent that a place providing lodging and refreshment was required, and in 1859 William Parnelf commenced the building of the hotel then known as "Lake Bonney Hotel".

In 1863 William Napper purchased the hotel along with 80 acres of land where he established an orchard consisting of vines and fruit trees near the present Napper's Bridge site. He used a steam engine to pump water for his orchard and so became the first irrigator in the Upper Murray region.

Lake Bonney was plagued with problems in the early 1900's, suffering both drought and severe flooding. A bridge was built at the Chambers Creek entrance with work beginning during the drought of 1915. At this time, Lake Bonney dried up almost completely resulting in locals farming cereal crops on the dry lake bed. The bridge, then known as North Lake Bridge consisted of moveable panels which acted as a weir, controlling water into or out of the lake thus protecting these crops. However, August saw the river rise and the crops were inundated with water during the flood of 1916.

While building the northern approach to the bridge, the bones of hundreds of natives were unearthed and went into the structure. Built of timber retrieved from the flats of Cobdogla, the bridge survived until it was replaced in 1953 with a sturdier concrete structure known as Mappers Bridge. This bridge was opened in 1954 and inundated during the floods of 1956. The first irrigation pump was installed at the south end of Lake Bonney during 1914. The drought was followed by a flood in 1916 and the plant, placed in a flood zone, was saved by the rushed building of an encircling wall which is still present today.

This resulted in a larger unit being built in 1920' on higher ground in what is now the Yacht Club building. Both of these pumps were wood fired steam units, which supplied irrigation water to the Cobdogla region. With fluctuating water levels and high salinity becoming a problem the plant was closed in 1927 and removed to Loveday.
The inclusion of "Lock 3" into the Murray River system resulted in a stable Lake Bonney with the average pool level being 139 feet above sea level, the raised water level has altered the wetlands ecosystem. The water is deeper, cooler and slower, and the annual rise and fall has largely gone with adverse effects on the wildlife. Native fish and waterfowl are no longer subject to natural breeding conditions. It has also caused the death of a great many redgums

Depth: 3 - 4 metres
Circumference: 15 kilometres
Length: 6.5 kilometres
Width: 4 Kilometres
Surface: 1687 Hectares
Volume: 58900 Mega Litres

Factual information from Barmera Tourist Office
http://www.riverlandlocal.com.au