Pink Lake

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Location: Goldfields-Esperance, Western Australia, Australia

Lake typesalt: lake

Max. length: 4 km

Max. width: 2 km

Surface area: 245 acres

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

The lake is not always pink in colour but the distinctive colour of the water when the lake is pink is a result of the 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 halobacteria 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.