Not the usual white or blue, but the rare pink hue of Hillier Lake attracts tourists from around the world.
Beautiful yet Unique
Hillier Lake was first discovered in 1802 by the explorer and cartographer Matthew Flinders.
Located on Middle Island, the largest island in the Recherche Archipelago in Western Australia, the lake is relatively small, measuring approximately 600 meters in length and no more than 250 meters in width.
If you observe the lake from its shore, the water appears to have a slight pink tint, but when viewed from above, the color is strikingly vivid. Unlike other pink lakes around the world, the pink color remains unchanged even when water is scooped into a cup.
From an aerial view, Hillier Lake resembles a giant bubblegum bubble, making it incredibly special.
When sunlight hits the surface, the lake sparkles and captivates more than ever. (Photo: baodanang)
Historically, the local indigenous people harvested salt from this lake, but today it is primarily used for tourism purposes.
Scientists have long sought to explain the lake’s unusual pink color. In 2015, a research team from the Extreme Microbiome Project (XMP) provided the most accurate answer regarding the distinctive hue of Hillier Lake. By collecting water samples and analyzing the DNA, they found results that differed significantly from previous hypotheses.
Hillier Lake is situated on an island, surrounded by vast oceans. (Photo: hoiban)
Unlike other pink bodies of water worldwide, such as Lake Retba and salt lakes in San Francisco Bay, scientists have yet to determine the exact cause of Hillier’s pink color. However, many scientists speculate that the hue is due to organisms such as Dunaliella salina and Halobacteria. Another hypothesis suggests it may be caused by a type of red bacteria found in the salt crust. This color is also not a result of sunlight, as water taken from the lake retains its pink hue regardless of the container’s position.
Recent investigations confirmed that these bacteria, along with various extremophiles, are responsible for the lake’s unusual coloration.
Scientists describe extremophiles as some of the most interesting and bizarre components of Earth’s ecosystems, as they can thrive in environments where very few other species can survive. These organisms flourish in extreme conditions, including high salinity lakes like Hillier.
Among the many bacteria collected from Hillier Lake samples, researchers also discovered additional types of red bacteria, including some archaea and a bacterium known as Salinibacter ruber.
The research team also surprisingly identified a bacterium called Dechloromonas aromatica, which is adept at breaking down compounds like benzene and toluene, typically found in chemical solvents.
The pink lake phenomenon intrigues many. (Photo: amusingplanet)
Except for a few years when salt was harvested here, the island and the pink lake remain largely untouched. The lake offers visitors an incredible attraction, recognized as a natural wonder of the world.
In addition to Hillier, there are several other unique pink lakes around the world, such as: Lake Retba (also known as Lac Rose) located on the northern tip of the Cap Vert Peninsula, northeast of Dakar, Senegal; Salina de Torrevieja and La Salina de La Mata, two salt lakes surrounding Torrevieja, a coastal city in southeastern Spain; Dusty Rose Lake in British Columbia, Canada, which possesses unusual characteristics despite lacking salt or algae; and Masazirgol (also known as Lake Masazir), a salt lake in the Qaradag region near Baku, Azerbaijan.
Swim Without Fear of Sinking
Notably, the salt concentration in Hillier Lake is very high compared to that of conventional freshwater lakes—a phenomenon similar to the Dead Sea. As a result, the water’s density is greater than that of the human body. If one accidentally falls into the lake, their body will be “buoyed” to the surface without the risk of sinking or drowning.
However, visiting Hillier Lake can only be done via helicopter or boat, leading many visitors afraid of heights to miss the chance to witness the spectacular views of Hillier Lake.
