Great Artesian Basin

Lightning Ridge bathing thermes supplied by artesian bore water Hot water bore hole into the Great Artesian Basin in Thargomindah Beel's Bore, Hariman Park near Cunnamulla. The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) of Australia is the largest and deepest artesian basin in the world, extending over 1,700,000 square kilometres (660,000 sq mi). Measured water temperatures range from 30 to 100 °C (86 to 212 °F). The basin provides the only source of fresh water through much of inland Australia.

The basin underlies 22% of the Australian continent, including most of Queensland, the south-east corner of the Northern Territory, north-eastern South Australia, and northern New South Wales. It is 3000 metres (9800 feet) deep in places and is estimated to contain 64,900 cubic kilometres (15,600 cubic miles) of groundwater. The Great Artesian Basin Coordinating Committee (GABCC) coordinates activity between federal, state/territory, and local levels of government and community organisations.