A gilgai is a small, ephemeral lake or shallow water hole formed from a depression in the soil surface in expanding clay soils. Often written in the Australian aboriginal language, Gamilaraay, as 'gilgaay'. The 'aa' phoneme in Gamilaraay sounds like 'ai' or 'eye', which is where the spelling of the northern NSW town of Gilgai came from. Gilgeye/Gilgai both being acceptable phonetic spelling of gilgaay using English language phonemes. Additionally, the term "gilgai" is used to refer to the overall micro-relief in such areas, consisting of mounds and depressions, not just the lakes themselves  . These pools are commonly a few metres across and less than deep, however in some instances they may be several metres deep and up to across. Gilgais are found worldwide wherever cracking clay soils and pronounced wet and dry seasons are present. Gilgais are also called "melonholes, crabholes, hogwallows or puff and shelf formations".Hallsworth, E. G., Robertson, G. K., and F. R. Gibbons. 1955. Studies in pedogenesis in New South Wales. VII. The ‘‘gilgai” soils. J. Soil Sci. 6: 1–31.
A gilgai is a small, ephemeral lake formed from a depression in the soil surface in expanding clay soils. Additionally, the term "gilgai" is used to refer to the overall micro-relief in such areas, consisting of mounds and depressions, not just the lakes themselves . The name comes from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning small water hole . These pools are commonly a few metres across and less than deep, however in some instances they may be several metres deep and up to across. Gilgais are found worldwide wherever cracking clay soils and pronounced wet and dry seasons are present. Gilgais are also called "melonholes, crabholes, hogwallows or puff and shelf formations".Hallsworth, E. G., Robertson, G. K., and F. R. Gibbons. 1955. Studies in pedogenesis in New South Wales. VII. The ‘‘gilgai” soils. J. Soil Sci. 6: 1–31.
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or shallow water hole
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Often written in the Australian aboriginal language, Gamilaraay, as 'gilgaay'. The 'aa' phoneme in Gamilaraay sounds like 'ai' or 'eye', which is where the spelling of the northern NSW town of Gilgai came from. Gilgeye/Gilgai both being acceptable phonetic spelling of gilgaay using English language phonemes.
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. The name comes from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning small water hole