Lake MacDonnell

On the western Eyre Peninsula, close to the Nullarbor Plain, lies a salt lake called Lake MacDonnell. Penong is the closest town. On the largest gypsum deposit in the southern hemisphere, it is the location of a former salt mine as well as the largest gypsum mine in Australia.

Lake MacDonnell, a pink lake in South Australia's Eyre Peninsula, is unlike any other area. Lake MacDonnell is divided by a road, with pink water on one side and teal water on the other. Those who make the long journey out here call it "Watermelon Avenue" because from above it looks like the rind of a watermelon. Visit the motel or RV park at Penong if you want to stay close to Lake MacDonnell.

On clear days, the lake's high salt concentration creates the impression that it is salmon-pink in color. Pink Lake, Green Lake, and Blue Lake are located on either side of the causeway, which also has a tiny bridge connecting them. Dunaliella salina, salt-loving algae, and halobacteria, which emit carotenoid red pigments that give the water in the Pink Lake its vivid pink color, are to blame.

Location: Lake Macdonnell, Penong SA 5690, Australia