The Lake Hillier which is also known as The Pink Lake, is situated in Cape Arid near the southern coast of Western Australia.It is a lake of salty water of 40% which makes the Dead Sea of Jordan which eases the floating.It is one of the natural wonders and a mystery of Australia,which can be only seen from sky.It is a large inland body of still water in Australia.
Lake Hillier rests like an enormous body rested at the corner of Middle Island in Western Australia.It is surrounded by a thick forest of sand,paperbark trees and eucalyptus trees that looks green surrounding the lake and it is 600 m(nearly 2000 feet) long.A narrow strip of white sand ridges are piled up,which are covered by vegetation, seperating it to the north from the Southern Ocean.It is located on the edge of Recherche Archipelago’s largest island, in Australia.
The Pink Lake is originated at 1802 by a British explorer Mathew Flinders who visited this wonderful place on his way to Sidney,who was doing mountaineering.The captain was so shocked to see the pink lake and was overwhelmed and collected the water,which later on was discovered as saline.The pink is similar to the rock salt found in Himalayan region.
Similar lakes around the world:
There are 7 pink lakes in the world other than Lake Hillier.Although they may not considered as bright pink like that of Lake hillier as it depends on the salt present in the water.
1. Pink Lake of Quairading, Australia
2. Pink Hutt Lagoon, Australia
3. Pink Lake of Salina de Torrevieja, Spain
4. Pink Lake, Australia (Goldfields-Esperance area)
5. Pink Lake Retba, Dakar Region, Senegal
6. Pink Masazir Lake or Masazirgol, Azerbaijan
7. Dusty Rose Lake, Canada
Mystery behind the lake:
The lake is of bright pink color and the reason behind this is yet not clarified.But, according to the researches,the color is permanent even the water is poured in a container.
In the mid twentieth century,scientists after doing many studies about this lake thought that the algae Dunaliella salna,which is resting in the lake’s salt deposits,produces a red dye is the reason behind this.Some say that that the color is of some lack of nutrients in the lake.But,either way it is not proved.
In early 20th century,a salt mining project has been started which was abandoned within 6 years as it proved no good result.Except the time of this project,the lake never changed its color which looks like an icing cake.
This pink link attracts everybody as a mysterious natural beauty which is a unique beauty in the world which seems like a fiction.It is viewed from the sky only as stepping foot on the island is prohibited.
This paradise view may seem like an abandoned island but tourists are attracted to this,which looks like a yummy strawberry milkshake.Tourists usually book a helicopter which takes them past the lake so that they can watch the beauty from there.
The saline lake is fine for swimming lovers even though it seems uncomfortable at some times due to its salinity but it is not advisable for swimming.
Also,now-a-days, tourists can come and explore these islands and wildlife of the Recherche Archipelago on a cruise .
This lake has been identifies by Bird life International as an Important Bird Area as it many unique native and migratory birds visit this lake.
Trips to Esperence:
Pink lake which is near Esperence is set as an backdrop,which is sometimes in purple color , a stunning beauty where we can do horse riding,cycling,trial walking,biking,scuba diving,whale watching,fishing,wind surfing and kayaking trips.This lake is just two miles to the west of Esperence.
It is a beach lover’s paradise which has its clean and neat beaches with gentle ,warm breezing seas.
There is an Esperence Museum which displays material about the local history which consists of pioneers,shipwreck items and many more artistic items which feel from US Sky Lab .
Also,there is an artificial reef which is at the outskirts of the town ,which is a nice spot for fishing or a walk.
Life in Pink Lake:
As no oxygen is present,there is no scope for any organism to live but only an organism that lives in the depth of the water i.e., an anaerobic prehistoric organism,which is a pink photosynthetic bacterium,which does not need oxygen and it needs sulphur when it transforms sunlight into energy.
It also acts as a home to three-spined stipleback fish,which is a saltwater fish,which is been used to the conditions of the lake’s gradual desalination and today lives in the lake’s fresh water.
Usage of the lake:
The one and only use for this lake is to preserve this in a bottle and export it as a medicine for problems like stomach upsets, heartburn,nausea,diarrhea and indigestion.
The Pink Lake is just an charismatic beauty to admire and is an extraordinary tourist spot to visit as it is worth to be.