Lake Tali Karng

Lake Tali Karng
Tali Karng
Lake Tali Karng is located in Victoria
Lake Tali Karng
Lake Tali Karng
Location in Victoria
LocationAlpine region, Victoria
Coordinates37°32′35″S 146°47′47″E / 37.54306°S 146.79639°E / -37.54306; 146.79639[1]
Primary inflows
  • Snowden Creek
  • Nigothoruk Creek
Primary outflowsunderground to Wellington River
Basin countriesAustralia
Surface area14 ha (35 acres)
Max. depth51 m (167 ft)

Lake Tali Karng is a natural lake in the Alpine region of Victoria, in eastern Australia.[2] At 14 hectares (35 acres) in area and 51 metres (167 ft) in depth, it is the only deep highland lake in Victoria. It was formed by a landslide 1,500 years ago.[3]

Unlike alpine lakes in the Snowy Mountains, Lake Tali Karng is the only permanent, deep, highland lake in Australia that is not of glacial or volcanic origin. It was formed by debris falling from the Sentinel, which is 700 metres (2,300 ft) above the valley. The landslide dammed the Wellington River with the area of the landslide now known as the Valley of Destruction.[4] The lake has no stream outlet, and has never been known to overflow, with water seeping away through the Valley of Destruction.

Two creeks feed the lake, Snowden Creek and Nigothoruk Creek. Nigothoruk Creek has three waterfalls, collectively called the Snowden Falls. There is no vegetation in the lake itself because the water is slightly acidic. Its maximum depth is 51 metres (167 ft) and, due to the minimal sunlight falling on it, together with the snow-melt which feeds it, it remains cold throughout the year.[5]

  1. ^ "Lake Tali Karng". Vicnames. Government of Victoria. 2 May 1966. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  2. ^ Timms, B. V (1974). Aspects of the Limnology of Lake Tali Karng, Victoria. CSIRO Publishing.
  3. ^ "Map of Lake Tali Karng, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Lake Tali Karng". DVictorian Resources Online: East Gippsland. Government of Victoria. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Tali Karng". Parks Victoria. Government of Victoria. 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2014.