There's a Lake in Australia That's Naturally Bubblegum Pink

Nestled within the dense eucalyptus woodlands of Middle Island, off the coast of Western Australia, lies a surreal body of water that looks more like a pool of melted bubblegum than a lake. The striking pink of Lake Hillier creates a dramatic contrast (Review) against the strip of white sand and the deep blue of the Southern Ocean that separates them. Unlike other pink lakes that can change color with the seasons or temperature, Hillier's vivid hue is permanent. Even when water is collected in a container, it retains its distinctive pink shade.

The source of this incredible color is a unique biological cocktail thriving in the lake's hypersaline waters, which are roughly ten times saltier than the nearby ocean. The primary culprit is believed to be a microalgae called Dunaliella salina. To survive the extreme salt and sun exposure, this organism produces vast amounts of beta-carotene, the same red-orange pigment that gives carrots and sweet potatoes their color. This protective pigment, combined with reddish halophilic bacteria living in the salt crusts, is thought to tint the water (Review) its famous shade.

First documented by navigator Matthew Flinders in 1802, the lake remains a remote and largely untouched natural wonder. Its isolation within the Recherche Archipelago Nature Reserve has helped preserve its pristine condition. While the exact interplay between its microbial residents is still being studied, Lake Hillier stands out as a spectacular and mysterious example of how life can adapt to and color the most extreme environments on Earth.