Lake Hillier – Australia’s Pink Lake
Australia is home of unusual ‘pink lakes’. Lake Hillier is one of them. Located on Middle Island, this body of water is famous for it’s remarkable feature – its bubble gum pink color.
600 meters long, surrounded by a rim of sand and thick woods of eucalyptus trees, this pink lake surprises even scientists. No one really knows for sure why the lake is pink. Researchers can only speculate that a dye created by bacteria that lives in the salt crusts is responsible for the beautiful color.
The lake was discovered by English explorer Matthew Flinders in 1802. Imagine his amazement when he climbed Middle Island’s highest peak and saw the lake for the first time.
Today tourists can explore the islands and wildlife of the Recherche Archipelago on a cruise from Esperance.
Esperance is located approximately 720 kilometres south-east of Perth on Western Australia’s southern coastline.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Lake Hillier, Middle Island, Recherche Archipelago, Western Australia
- Coordinates
- -34.09462, 123.20279
- Access
- Lake Hillier is on remote Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago. The current Fly Esperance website says its scenic flights operate on a limited itinerant basis and that only dates shown in its live booking calendar are available. That page does not confirm a dedicated Lake Hillier route, landing, or shore access. Treat an aerial viewing as unconfirmed until the operator confirms the route, and do not plan a landing or walk to the lake without current permission and access confirmation from the reserve manager.
- Admission
- No lake-only public admission fee or currently bookable Lake Hillier visit was confirmed. Any flight would be a separately priced operator service; check the live Fly Esperance calendar and confirm that the specific route includes Lake Hillier before paying.
- Time needed
- No current Lake Hillier-specific tour duration was confirmed. The prior operator’s published 1 hour 40 minute estimate is not carried forward because the current operator page does not list that route or duration; ask the operator for a date-specific itinerary.
- Best season
- No current best season for a Lake Hillier visit was confirmed. Scenic-flight availability is limited and itinerant, and flights depend on weather; ask the operator about the route and conditions for your proposed date.
- Opening hours
- The lake is not a staffed attraction and no public visiting hours were found. Current operator availability is date-specific; Fly Esperance says scenic flights run on a limited itinerant basis and unavailable dates will not appear in its booking calendar. Confirm land access separately with the reserve manager.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-26
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-21
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