Lake Hillier

Lake Hillier is located on Middle Island, the largest of the Recherche Archipelago. The Lake is about 600 meters long and 250 meters wide, with an area of about 16 hectares.

The vibrant color of Lake Hillier is permanent and does not change even when the water is taken in a container, unlike other pink lakes in Western Australia that fade out during the summer. This makes Lake Hillier a fantastic vacation spot throughout the year because you can be sure to see it at its most pink no matter when you go! Another distinctive feature of Lake Hillier is that it is an island. Even though there are numerous seasonal pink lakes in Australia, none are as stunning or even close to being as pink as Lake Hillier. They are all located on the mainland and many are very accessible. In spite of the fact that Lake Hillier is effectively "land-locked" and is only a short distance from the Southern Ocean thanks to a thin strip of shoreline, the contrast between the lake's gorgeous turquoise waters and the area's pristine white beaches makes for breathtaking views.

Flying is the best way to view Lake Hillier. A 100-minute scenic flight via Lucky Bay, the Recherche Archipelago, and Cape Le Grand National Park is offered by Goldfields Air Services up to six times per day. Due to its distance from Esperance—150 km—on Middle Island, Lake Hillier cannot be reached by land.

The organism Dunaliella salina is thought to be responsible for the pink color of the highly salinized water. A particular variety of halophile green microalgae found in sea salt fields is called Dunaliella salina. It is used in cosmetics and dietary supplements and is known for its antioxidant activity because of its capacity to produce large amounts of carotenoids. Few organisms can endure in salt evaporation ponds, which have such high salinities, as D. salina does. These organisms require high levels of -carotene to protect them from harsh light, as well as high levels of glycerol to protect them from osmotic pressure, in order to survive. This opens the door to the commercial biological production of these substances.

Only the air or the sea can be used to access Lake Hillier. Six scenic flights leave from Esperance Airport each day. Middle Island is inaccessible by land, but the aerial view is breathtaking!

Location: Goldfields-Esperance, Australia