# Great Artesian Basin

The Great Artesian Basin is the world's largest basin, taking about one fifth of the land area of Australia. Once a large inland sea, now all that water is underground, and the only source to why many outback towns exist in NSW, Queensland, SA and the NT.

## Understand

The Great Artesian Basin in Australia is the largest and deepest aquifer (artesian basin) in the world. It stretches over 1,711,000 square kilometres, which is 22% of the surface area of Australia. This includes most of Queensland, the south-east corner of the Northern Territory, the north-east part of South Australia, and northern New South Wales. The basin is 3,000 metres deep in places. It may contain 64,900 cubic kilometres of groundwater. Its temperature ranges from 30°C to 100°C.
The basin is the only reliable source of freshwater through much of inland Australia. The Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee (GABCC) coordinates activity between the various levels of government and community organisations.

## Sites

Most of the water in the Bore Baths are approximately about two million years old, and often reach a temperature of about 40 °C (104 °F).

### New South Wales

* -30.01668148.1168061 Walgett Bore Baths. M-F 8AM-4PM. Free. (updated Sep 2021)
* -29.42281147.9978152 Artesian Bore Baths (Lightning Ridge Hot Bore Baths), Pandora Street, Lightning Ridge, ☏ +61 2 6829 1670. 24/7 (except between 10AM-noon M-F where maintenance works occur). Free. (updated Sep 2021)
* -30.114843148.9955913 Burren Junction Bore Baths, Burren Bore Rd, Burren Junction. (updated Sep 2021)
* -29.4741149.84664 Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre, 20 Anne St, Moree, ☏ +61 2 6752 2272. This one is a lot larger than some of the other Bore Baths you may find. (updated Sep 2021)
* -28.724553149.5784945 Boomi Swimming Pool (Boomi Artesian Pool), 39 Bishop St, Boomi, ☏ +61 2 6753 5150. (updated Sep 2021)
* -28.97969148.992816 Mungindi Swimming Pool, Bucknell Street, Mungindi, New South Wales. Winter: M-Sa 7:30AM-noon Su 2-5PM. $3. (updated Sep 2021)
* -29.110255147.4582347 Goodooga Artesian Springs, Goodooga Rd, Goodooga, ☏ +61 2 6830 5100. (updated Sep 2021)
* -30.355373148.906948 Pilliga Hot Bore Baths, Narrabri Rd, Pilliga, toll-free: 1800 659 931. M-Sa 9AM-5PM Su 9AM-2PM. (updated Sep 2021)

### Queensland and the Northern Territory

* -26.4864147.97899 The Great Artesian Spa, 2 Cambridge St, Mitchell, ☏ +61 7 4624 6923, mitchell.spa@outlook.com. 8AM-6PM daily. $8. (updated Sep 2021)
* -20.654559141.74539110 Julia Creek Artesian Baths. Some of the water here has been extracted from water 900m below. Has some facilities for caravans as well. (updated Sep 2021)
* -28.163178145.0443211 Artesian Mud Baths, Leo St, Eulo, ☏ +61 405 030 707. 9AM-7PM. Not as great as some of the others but still worth it. (updated Sep 2021)
* -23.3415140.5831 Elizabeth Springs, Springvale Rd, Min Min. (updated Sep 2021)
* -18.121152143.96213712 Talaroo Hot Springs, Gulf Savannah Way (Gulf Development Road, Mount Surprise, ☏ +61 456 793 764. The water here can get to about 62°C. Guided tours only. (updated Sep 2021)

### South Australia

* -28.666667137.1666672 Lake Eyre. The lowest point and largest lake of Australia, and it holds a significant importance to the Aboriginals and is one of the continent's most important reserves of Australian wildlife. (updated Sep 2021)
* -26.5131135.46673 Witjira-Dalhousie Springs. National heritage site, and is the most northerly group of springs in South Australia. Also associated with many Aboriginal songs and traditions. (updated Sep 2021)

## See also

* Hot springs