It was these researchers that finally gauged out Lake St Clair, in Tasmania, to be Australia’s deepest lake. It boasts a noteworthy confirmed depth of a little over 163 meters. This new finding really blows the old speculations out of the water. Even those earlier ideas proposed the lake might have depths of at least 215 meters. The new data confirms that Lake St Clair is actually deeper than the Bass Strait. This emerging discovery highlights its adapted, geological importance.
The lake is located at the southern terminus of the world-famous Overland Track, in the heart of Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage area, a multi-day hiking destination. That undulating beauty and allure has for centuries enthralled scientists and adventurers alike. Until a few months ago, the underwater landscape of Lake St Clair was still a mostly unexplored frontier. That all changed last year when a passionate group of researchers took to the water for nine days to undertake an expansive mapping project of the lake.
In the current effort, the team used cutting-edge multibeam sonar and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technologies. They pictured the lake as though it had been fully drained, allowing for unearthly detail and dimension into its depths and nooks. The result of this high-tech approach was a detailed 3D map showing the lake bed and the contours of the shoreline.
The scientists found the lake’s shorelines to be comprised of steep vertical cliffs in many spots. That’s because the underwater landscape drops steeply from the beach to more than 50 meters deep. These defining features only add to the lake’s enigmatic aura. This dramatic vertical relief is a major driver of high aquatic biodiversity and rich terrestrial ecosystems.
Here’s how the team tackled punishing conditions on their mapping expedition. Along the way they survived snow, huge swells and fierce winds, each infamous for this remote destination in Tasmania. The project’s climate-associated unpredictable work patterns and complex weather made their job no easy feat. Through these challenges, the researchers were able to collect important data that may not have been possible to obtain otherwise.
This study delves into the complex geology of Lake St Clair. It increases our understanding and appreciation of Tasmania’s amazing natural heritage. The lake’s stunning aquatic topography should lead to more research and investigation of this diversified ecological hotspot.
