In the concluding remarks to his account of his explorations, Edward Eyre explains why he believes that there is no inland sea in Australia, contrary to the opinion of his friend Charles Sturt. He cites his own experience as an explorer in Australia, when he encountered the salt lakes of northern South Australia. Eyre believes that these salt lakes probably alternate with desert and scattered low ranges, but allows that there may be some good land among the ranges.

Edward Eyre had explored to the north of Spencer Gulf in 1839 and again in 1840. He encountered arid land and as he pushed further north, a barrier of salt lakes prevented him from travelling yet further north. From high vantage points he could see nothing but salt lakes, and he believed that these were all part of one great lake that curved around like a horseshoe. In 1858, after he had left South Australia, it was shown by other explorers - BH Babbage, Augustus Gregory, PE Warburton and John McDouall Stuart - that it was possible to travel between the lakes. It would be a further four years before Stuart crossed the country from south to north and showed there was no inland sea.

Edward Eyre's view of the actual interior of Australia was much nearer the truth than that of his friend Charles Sturt. However Sturt was right in his belief that Australia had once been an archipelago of islands, with a shallow sea covering much of what is now central Australia.

Eyre, Edward John, Journals of expeditions of discovery into Central Australia, and overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound, in the years 1840-1; ... Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, 1964

Sturt, Charles, Narrative of an expedition into Central Australia: performed under the authority of Her ajesty's Government, during the years 1844, 5, and 6, together with a notice of the Province of South Australia, in 1847 New York: Greenwood Press, [1969]

Cumpston, J. H. L. The inland sea and the great river: the story of Australian exploration Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1964

Flannery, Tim, Australia's inland sea Sydney: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c1992

GNT History: Inland sea. Broadcast 6.30pm on 18/10/2004