Australia: The Land Where Time Began

A biography of the Australian continent 

Willandra Lakes        See Willandra Footprints

The Willandra Lakes didn't refill after the glacial maximum, apart from an event in the highest small basins in the lake chain. The Willandra Creek, along which the lakes are situated, hasn't carried any water since the Lachlan River changed its course, except for overflow from occasional floods.

The Willandra Lakes have been dry for 15,000 years, but in the past they were full with fresh water, having an area of more than 1,000 km². During the Pleistocene there were long periods when western New South Wales, along with the rest of Australia had much more fresh water than they do now. A big part of the reason is that the evaporation was lower due to cooler temperatures. 50,000 years ago the Willandra Lakes were full and would have been teeming with fish, and there would have been many birds attracted to the area, and no doubt plenty of animals living around the lakes.

Sources & Further reading

1. Josephine Flood, Archaeology of the Dreamtime, J. B. Publishing
2. Phillip J. Habgood & Natilie R. Franklin, The revolution that didn't arrive: A review of Pleistocene Sahul, Journal of Human Evolution, 55, 2008