Lake Ballard, Western Australia: Gormley statues & camping

Lake Ballard in Western Australia is famous for the Antony Gormley statues across the salt lake. Free camping is available at the Lake Ballard campground.

Where is Lake Ballard, Western Australia?

Lake Ballard in Western Australia is somewhere you really have to want to visit, because it is not really on the way to anywhere else.

This ephemeral salt lake lies to the west of the Goldfields Highway between Kalgoorlie and Meekatharra. And the main reason to visit is that it is home to one of Australia’s most unusual art installations.

Antony Gormley statues at Lake Ballard

In 2003, British sculptor Antony Gormley visited Menzies, the nearest town to Lake Ballard. He talked 51 locals into stripping naked and digitally scanned their bodies.

These scans became the basis for Inside Australia, an installation of 51 sculptures spread across Lake Ballard.

Gormley’s steel sculptures are human height, but eerily thin and spindly. They have been compared to tuning forks. They are spaced around 750 metres apart around the salt pans.

The best time to see the Lake Ballard sculptures

The best time to see the Lake Ballard sculptures is at sunset and sunrise, when the colours of the sky strike silhouettes and contrast with the bright white of the salt lake. The scene creates striking images for photographers to play with.

Free camping at Lake Ballard

It is possible to go free camping at Lake Ballard, although the Lake Ballard campground is extremely basic. There are drop toilets and drinking water available, but no showers or power. To go camping at Lake Ballard you will need to be self-sufficient. Pets and fires are permitted.

Aside from making it much easier to see the Gormley statues at dawn and dusk, camping at Lake Ballard is great for stargazing. There is virtually no light pollution here, which makes for clear, highly visible night skies.

Getting to Lake Ballard

The Lake Ballard campground is at the south-western side of the lake, and it’s a two hour drive from Kalgoorlie. Head up the Goldfields Highway to Menzies, then branch left down the Menzies-Sandstone Road. This is a good quality dirt road, and accessible for most conventional vehicles. You don’t need a 4WD to visit Lake Ballard.