Western Australia · Natural Wonder

Lake Hillier

Australia's Pink Lake

sunny Best in Year-round

location_on Middle Island, Recherche Archipelago

schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026

A bubblegum-pink saline lake on Middle Island off Western Australia's south coast, visible only by boat or scenic flight. The colour comes from Dunaliella salina algae and halobacteria thriving in the salty water.

Lake Hillier is a small saline lake on Middle Island, the largest island in the Recherche Archipelago off the south coast of Western Australia near Esperance. The lake is roughly 600 metres long by 250 metres wide, and is famous for its bubblegum pink colour, which is constant year-round and remains pink even when the water is bottled.

The colour comes from a combination of Dunaliella salina (a halophilic green alga that produces red pigments at high salinity) and salt-loving Halobacteria, which together tint the highly saline water. The lake is separated from the Indian Ocean by only a narrow strip of beach and the contrast between deep blue ocean and pink lake is the signature aerial view.

Middle Island is uninhabited and there is no tourist infrastructure. The only way to see Lake Hillier is by scenic flight or boat from Esperance. Walking on the lake itself is restricted because it is a protected nature reserve and a sensitive ecosystem.