As an amplified La Niña weather event turned life on the Australian east coast into a flooded misery over recent weeks, it has also played a role in helping bring the vast desert lake near the middle of the continent to life.
Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is about 700km north of Adelaide, covers more than 9,000 sq km – an area roughly equivalent to greater suburban Melbourne – and is the lowest point on the Australian mainland.
