Naturally, there’s a scientific explanation behind South Australia's link lakes but that certainly doesn't make them any less spectacular and fascinating.
Just a quick science lesson on how a pink lake is formed:
It must be a salt lake and the less water in the lake, the more concentrated the salt and the brighter the colour. During hot weather, the algae in the water mix with the salts to turn the lake pink. Most pink lakes don’t stay pink permanently, they change colour all the time mostly from a lilac to a bright bubblegum pink colour throughout the day and at certain times of the year.
You can swim in a pink lake, except for those that are being protected, but there is a lot of salt in the water, so beware of eyes (and drinking the water). For example, Lake Hillier is 10 times saltier than the ocean seawater.
Here are the top five South Australian pink lakes.
1. LAKE MACDONNELL, EYRE PENINSULA
Lake MacDonnell
Mother Nature’s full palette is on show at the Eyre Peninsula’s Lake MacDonnell with a super-high salt concentration resulting in some seriously intense colours. At the end of this road lies Eyre Peninsula’s beautiful Cactus Beach: an oceanic wonderland, drawing surfers from across the world to its powerful breaks and the Southern Ocean swells. From Adelaide, Lake MacDonnell is a 1 hour and 30-minute flight then a 45 minute drive , so find your holiday rental on Search and Stay the closest town is Penong, and take the drive to the pink lake.
2. LAKE BUMBUNGA, CLARE VALLEY
Lake Bumbunga, Clare Valley
Less than two hours’ drive from Adelaide, Lake Bumbunga’s bubble gum shores draw an eclectic crowd from casual photographers to high-end fashion brands. Located in Lochiel, the lake is known to change colour from pink, to white, to blue, depending on the salinity of the water throughout the year. Stay in your Lake Bumbunga holiday rental onSearch and Stay, then head north-east to the famed Clare Valley wine region where you can quench your thirst with colour-coordinated rosé from Mr Mick, Kilikanoon or Jim Barry. Lake Bumbunga is a 1 hour and 40-minute drive from Adelaide.
3. LAKE EYRE, OUTBACK SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Lake Eyre, Outback
The pale pinks, oranges and yellows of Lake Eyre epitomize Outback South Australia. Usually a giant salt pan, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre occasionally fills with water thanks to summer rainfall further north, creating a desert oasis which can truly be appreciated when seen from the air on a scenic Wrights air flight. Lake Eyre is a 6 hour drive (or a 1 hour and 30 minute flight) to Roxby Downs from Adelaide. Search and Stay has holiday accommodation in Roxby Downs and Adelaide holiday rentals.
4. LAKE HART, OUTBACK SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Lake Hart, Outback
As spectacular by night as it is by day, Woomera’s Lake Hart is a must-visit while trekking across the Outback on the Explorer’s Way road trip. Once one of Australia’s most prized salt deposits, Lake Hart was at the centre of a thriving industry in the 1930s. Today, it draws visitors for its isolation and natural beauty and can be spotted from the comfort of Great Southern Rail’s Ghan as it snakes its way along 2,979km of rail between Darwin and Adelaide. Lake Hart is a 5 hour and 30 minute drive from Adelaide.
5. LAKE ALBERT, FLEURIEU PENINSULA
Along the Mighty Murray River lies a bright pink paradise. Lake Albert’s incredible colour is the result of millions of tiny micro-organisms that produce beta-carotene, turning it pink when they thrive. This area also serves as the northern gateway to the Coorong National Park – a long, narrow ribbon of saline wetlands, salt pans, coastal dunes and wild beaches that stretch over 150 kilometres from the Fleurieu Peninsula to the Limestone Coast.
Lake Albert is a 1 hour and 40 minute drive from Adelaide. Find some Adelaide holiday accommodation on Search and Stay.
Content and images: South Australian Tourism Commission