Lake Gairdner National Park

Backed by the Gawler Ranges and surrounded by red sand hills, this remote salt lake 200km west of Port Augusta is a stunner, with over 200 islands and a crust of salt up to 1m thick. Getting here is part of the adventure: the main access point is via a 34km unsealed road on Mt Ive Station: contact the station for details (www.mtive.com.au).