Hiller Lake (Pink Lake)

Hiller Lake (Pink Lake)

Pink Lake is a salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It lies about 3 kilometres (2 mi) west of Esperance and is bounded to the East by the South Coast Highway. 

Description

 The lake is not always pink but the distinctive colour of the water changes as a result of green alga Dunaliella salina, halobacterium Halobacteria cutirubrum, and/or high concentration of brine prawn. Once the lake water reaches a salinity level greater than that of sea water, the temperature is high enough and adequate light conditions are provided, the alga begins to accumulate the red pigment beta carotene. The pink halobacterium grow in the salt crust at the bottom of the lake and the colour of the lake is a result of the balance between, D. salina and H. cutirubrum

 

 

Birds

The lake has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because it usually supports significant numbers of hooded plovers and sometimes over 1% of the world population of banded stilts. They have had many migrant and native birds. The hooded plover lives there. Between 1997-2006, there were approximately 12-12,000 of the banded stilt. There were approximately 5-68 of the hooded plover from 1995-2005

 

Salt production

Prior to salt production the lake's environment was investigated in the 1980s. Table salt is produced in solar ponds at the eastern end of the lake. The company WA Salt Supply produce water softening salt, coarse salt and sheepskin salt at the Esperance site. The salt is kiln dried, crushed and bagged at the site before being distributed. 

 

Swim in Lake Hillier

 Farm or not, you’re probably just wondering whether or not you can swim in Lake Hillier. Well, good news: as any Aussie will attest, it’s really just a salt lake; really salty, but perfectly safe to swim in. At the same time, being Australian toughens one up to swim in just about anything, including molten lava. We were also unable to find any photographs of Aussies swimming in Lake Hillier, but that could be just because they are too tough to swim in a pink lake in the first place. Presumably their only use for this pink lake is to bottle and export it as treatment for non-Australian problems like upset stomachs, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, and indigestion.