Show Notes
Lake Hillier is a vibrant, bubblegum-pink salt lake located on Middle Island, the largest landmass in the Recherche Archipelago off the southern coast of Western Australia. Spanning approximately 600 meters (2,000 feet) in length and 250 meters (820 feet) in width, the shallow basin is separated from the Southern Ocean by a narrow strip of sand dunes and dense paperbark and eucalyptus woodlands. Unlike many other colored bodies of water that rely on optical reflections from lakebed minerals or seasonal weather fluctuations, Lake Hillier’s water retains its vivid pink hue even when transferred into a clear glass container. This permanent coloration is driven by a thriving community of halophilic microorganisms adapted to hypersaline environments containing roughly 300 grams of salt per liter. Genetic analysis has revealed that the coloration stems from a combination of the red-pigmented microalgae Dunaliella salina, the extremely halophilic bacterium Salinibacter ruber, and various haloarchaea, which produce high concentrations of protective carotenoid pigments such as beta-carotene, salinixanthin, and bacterioruberin.
First documented in 1802 by British navigator Matthew Flinders and later named after crewman William Hillier, the surrounding island has served as the backdrop for historical ventures including an 1830s pirate base camp and a short-lived nineteenth-century salt extraction enterprise. Today, Lake Hillier is designated as a protected wetland of subregional significance within the Recherche Archipelago Nature Reserve. Because unauthorized foot traffic is banned to prevent ecological damage to the microbial ecosystem and native seabird nesting habitats, the site is inaccessible by public ferry or foot. Instead, visitors view the striking visual contrast between the bubblegum-pink water, white crystalline salt crust, green canopy, and deep blue ocean via scenic charter flights originating from the mainland town of Esperance.
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