Ever seen a pink lake? Australia is home to bubble gum pink waters, attracting tourists from across the world. There are quite a few lakes scattered around the country, but the most famous is the Lake Bumbunga, and lake Hillier, popular for its rosy hue.
Lake Bumbunga is nestled in the small city of Adelaide, in a town called Bumbunga, hence the name. This pink lake is not only known for its gorgeous colour but is also famous for the mirror effect. The lake shows the reflection of the sky clearly spread out on the surface of the water and this is a phenomenon that attracts tourists. The lake’s shores are easily accessible to all, and is a very popular tourist spot for the gram!
Lake Hillier is around 2,000 feet long and is located on Australia’s middle island. The elegant pink lake is surrounded by the breathtaking backdrop of eucalyptus trees and white sand beaches. When looked at from above, the beautiful pink lake, the azure Pacific ocean, and the white sand beaches all offer an outstandingly vibrant and contrasting view. The whole picture is absolutely stunning.
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The Science Behind It
The exact reason for the vibrant hues is still mostly unknown to scientists. The running theory is that the salt and sodium bicarbonate in the water, react with the algae and microorganisms. That reaction produces the pink tint, resulting in rosy waters. There are large amounts of Halobacteria and a type of Algae known as Dunaliella salina, present in the waters. They thrive only in very salty waters, such as these lakes. The Alage and Halobacteria secrete ruddy pigments, which give the water its unique hue. These lakes are actually very salty, almost as salty as the dead sea!
The Esperence lake in Western Australia also used to be part of the pink group of lakes. However, the lake lost its color and hasn’t been pink for over 10 years. This is because of the sharp decrease in the lake’s salinity. The saltier the lake, the brighter the pink hue. In fact Lake Hillier is so salty, for 6 years the lake was used for salt mining. This took place in the early 20th century and doesn’t take place any more. Interestingly, the distinctive pink color is not only limited to the water in the lake. If you scoop the water out into a bottle and carry it home with you, the water is still rosy pink!
Is It Safe To Swim?
All the scientific reasoning behind it can make it sound unsafe to swim in. That is not true at all. The lake is entirely safe to swim as the Dunaliella salina Algae, and the Halobacteria are completely harmless to your skin. Although it is perfectly safe, Lake Hillier is not open for swimming.
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