UNSEASONAL rain is drawing interstate visitors to Lake Eyre and desperately needed tourism revenue to the surrounding region.
Intense rainfall in SA's Far North last month has flooded the vast salt lake, greening its edges and attracting bird life to the northern end. 
The SA Tourism Commission has capitalised on the downpour and begun marketing to potential interstate visitors. Wrights Air owner Trevor Wright runs flights over the lake and is training more pilots to cater for increased demand in coming months.
"Usually there's no water in the lake at this time of year but here's quite a bit there now," he said. "What it's done for the tourism market in South Australia is it's triggered people from interstate to say 'Hey let's go and have a look'." Mr Wright said he had heard of people making a round trip by car from Sydney just to see water in the lake.
Baby boomer and retiree travellers were adding the lake to a broader itinerary exploring northern SA and the Northern Territory, he said. What's happened over the last decade is Lake Eyre's been put on the bucket list With the iconic things such as Ayers Rock, your Bungles, Kakadu," Mr Wright said.
It is estimated there are about 400 million tonnes of salt spread across Lake Eyre and the smaller Lake Eyre South. The area is protected by national park status.PAGE 18: RARE FOSSILS MAY KEEP TOWN ALIVE