Tourism Australia is hosting a spectacular natural event this season. In the heart of Melbourne, a salt lake in Westgate Park has turned an Insta-worthy rosey pink hue, delighting tourist and locals alike.
A beautiful example of mother nature, the phenomenon is being leveraged to showcase a range of candy-coloured lakes across Australia.
A dramatic example of Australia’s natural beauty, the phenomenon only occurs intermittently during the warmer months, after a perfect cocktail of high salt levels, high temperatures, increased sunlight and low rainfall turn the lake pink when algae living in the salt crust at the bottom of the lake produces a red pigment (beta carotene) as part of its photosynthesis process.
The lake started to turn pink last week, and is expected to stay that way until later in autumn. The lake previously turned pink in 2014 and 2017, and will return to its normal colour as the weather cools and rainfall increases.
Located along the eastern banks of the Yarra River, under the West Gate Bridge, travellers can drive over the bridge to see the lake, or to get up close, limited parking is available within the park off Todd Road, or along Lorimer St, Port Melbourne.
Australia is home to many candy coloured lakes across its vast landscapes – all year round:
1. Westgate Park is not the only colourful lake in Australia — there is a range of candy-coloured Australian lakes that are reliably pink all year round.
2. At Murray-Sunset National Park, in Victoria's far north-west corner, find the picturesque Pink Lake, which changes in colour from a deep pink to a glistening white throughout the year.
3. Lake Tyrrell is Victoria's largest salt lake, covering over 20,000 hectares. It attracts visitors from around the world who come for the striking scenery and the stunning sunsets and sunrises.
4. Head to South Australia’s west coast to find the vibrant pink hues of Lake MacDonnell. A spellbinding contrast of a pink waterscape separated from a neighbouring blue-green lake by a straight dirt road this natural wonder is a magnet for road-tripping travellers.
5. Less than two hours’ drive from Adelaide, Lake Bumbunga’s bubble gum shores draw an eclectic crowd from casual photographers to high-end fashion brands. Located in Lochiel, the lake is known to change colour from pink, to white, to blue, depending on the salinity of the water throughout the year.
6. Head to West Australia’s Esperance to see the bubble gum pink Lake Hillier. Best seen from above on a scenic flight, Lake Hillar is located offshore on Middle Island, part of The Recherche Archipelago.
7. Watch the mesmerising Hutt Lagoon, located on Western Australia’s Coral Coast change through a spectrum of red to bubble-gum pink to a lilac purple. Hutt Lagoon can be easily accessed by road along the George Grey Drive, between Geraldton and Kalbarri, or seen from above on a scenic flight.