[2]Lake Gairdner is located about 440 kilometres (270 mi) northwest of the state capital of Adelaide and about 150 kilometres (93 mi) northwest of Port Augusta in the foothills on the northern side of the Gawler Ranges and to the west of Lake Torrens.

[citation needed] The lake is over 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) across with salt over 1.2 metres (3 ft 11 in) thick in some places.

[citation needed] Lake Gairdner was named by the Governor of South Australia, Richard MacDonnell in October 1857 after Gordon Gairdner, a Chief Clerk of the Australian Department in the Colonial Office.

[3] The lakes were all once part of an inland sea that stretched all the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

[6][7] It has been a site for various land speed record attempts on its salt flats and is currently the location for the annual Speed Week event run by the Dry Lakes Racers Australia.