Lake Hillier
| Lake Hillier | |
|---|---|
| Location | Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 34°5′45″S 123°12′10″E / 34.09583°S 123.20278°E |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Max. length | 600 metres (1,969 ft)[1] |
| Max. width | 250 metres (820 ft) |
Lake Hillier, is a lake on Middle Island, the largest of the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago, Western Australia.
The most notable feature of this lake is its pink colour. It is such a significant distinguishing feature of the archipelago that air passengers often take note of it. The colour is permanent, and does not alter when the water is taken in a container. The length of the lake is about six hundred meters. The lake is surrounded by a rim of sand and a dense woodland of paperbark and eucalyptus trees with a narrow strip of sand dunes covered by vegetation separating it to the north from the Southern Ocean.
The island and lake are thought to have been first charted by the Flinders expedition in 1802. Captain Flinders is said to have observed the pink lake after ascending the island's peak. John Thistle, the ship's master, collected some of the lake's water, which he found to be saturated with salt.[2] Although the source of the pink colour has not been definitively proven in the case of Lake Hillier, the pink colour of other salt lakes (e.g., Pink Lake) in the region arises from a dye created by the organisms Dunaliella salina and Halobacteria. Another hypothesis is that the pink colour is due to red halophilic bacteria in the salt crusts.
Despite the unusual hue, the lake exhibits no known adverse effects upon humans. From above the lake appears a solid bubble gum pink, but from the shoreline it looks more like a clear pink hue is in the water. The shoreline is also covered in salt crust deposits.[3]
See also
References
- ^ "Guide to Asia - Lake Hillier - Australia". 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- ^ "Marine Life Society of South Australia - Newslatter". 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
- ^ Pink Lake Hydrological Study Group (W.A.) (1986) The report on investigations into the hydrology & use of Pink Lake at Esperance by the Pink Lake Hydrological Study Group to the Minister for Lands & the Esperance Shire Council. Perth : W.A. Dept. of Conservation and Environment. Bulletin (Western Australia. Dept. of Conservation and Environment) ; no. 262. ISBN 0-7309-0595-0 (pbk.)
External links
- More Information about Pink Lakes: 8 Fascinating Pink Lakes of the World
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