What about a trip to a lake? which colour do you want to choose? Yes, colour there is another option added to the cart this time the colour is pink. Yes, five hours north of Perth in Western Australia there is a lagoon called Hutt Lagoon. Here start the story of the bubble gum pink water lagoon. In the Mid-West region of Western Australia, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the mouth of the Hutt River is where you’ll find Hutt Lagoon, a marine salt lake close to the Indian Ocean shore.
Let’s know about the lagoon, A lagoon is a short landform, such as a reef, barrier island, barrier peninsula, or isthmus, that divides a shallow body of water from a larger body of water. Atoll lagoons and coastal lagoons are two typical categories for lagoons.
Reason behind pink
Similar carotenoids, including -carotene, violaxanthin, 9′-cis neoxanthin and lutein, as well as chlorophyll a and b, are found in Euglenophyta, Chlorarachniophyta, and Chlorophyta, which are terrestrial plants. The carotenoid-producing algae Dunaliella salina, which is a source of beta-carotene, a food colouring ingredient, and a source of vitamin A, is what gives Hutt Lagoon its pink colour. Because of Being a marine lake, it contains salt near the ocean.
Geolocations
A long lake called Hutt Lagoon is located near the coast in a dune swale. Between the southern sides of the lake and the seashore is where Gregory is situated. George Grey Drive, which connects Northampton and Kalbarri, follows its eastern border.
The lake is roughly 2.3 km (1.4 mi) broad and measures about 14 km (9 mi) along its northwest-southeast axis, parallel to the coast.
The majority of the Hutt Lagoon System, a DIWA-listed wetland system that also includes several nearby minor lakes including Utcha Swamp, is made up of Hutt Lagoon.
Hydrology
The lagoon, also known as a marginal marine salina or marine lake, is a long depression with a surface area of roughly 70 square kilometres (27 square miles), the majority of which is located a few meters below sea level. It is isolated from the Indian Ocean by a barrier dune system and beach barrier ridge. Hutt Lagoon, which is 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Carnarvon, is likewise nourished by marine waters via the barrier ridge and by meteoric waters via springs.
Seawater seepage into the salina is constant throughout the year as a result of the salina’s sub-sea level location. The influx of meteoric groundwater during the winter rainy season significantly increases the amount of water entering the salina. Hutt Lagoon has a Mediterranean climate with 449 mm (17.7 in) of mean annual rainfall (mostly from May to August) and 2,445 mm of mean annual evaporation (96.3 in). These elements work together to create a situation where salt is deposed seasonally and precipitation rates and patterns follow a balance between water inflow and removal by evaporation. Over 95% of the surface of the salina is a dry salt flat throughout the summer.
The mighty history
During his second unsuccessful trip along the coast of Western Australia, the explorer George Grey camped on Hutt Lagoon’s eastern shore on April 4, 1839, and gave it the name Hutt Lagoon. William Hutt, M.P., the brother of John Hutt, the second Governor of Western Australia, was given credit for naming “the river and estuary lately discovered,” which he mistakenly thought was a sizable estuary. Hutt was a prominent colonizer of South Australia, New Zealand, and Western Australia. He was a British Liberal politician.
Governor Hutt sent the colonial ship Champion, commanded by Captain Dring, to examine the sizable estuary and river discovered after Grey returned to Perth. The Hutt River was dry at its mouth in the summer of January 1840, according to George Fletcher Moore aboard the Champion, who was unable to see the vast estuary that Grey had described.
And Hult lagoon also fill with resources
Brine shrimp of the species Artemia parthenogenetically are available commercially from Hutt Lagoon. Prawn and fish growers, aquarium fish dealers, and other industries use artemia as a specialist feed.
The salt deposits of Hutt Lagoon and their closeness to Port Gregory were highlighted in 1854 by the explorer Augustus Charles Gregory. He particularly praised the gypsum deposits on the lagoon’s western coast.
Hutt Lagoon salt from the Intercolonial Exhibition in Sydney in 1873 won a Highly Commended award. Gypsum from Hutt Lagoon won a bronze medal. The 1880 Melbourne Exhibition also featured a display of salt from Hutt Lagoon.
The SS Venus carried the Port Gregory Saltworks’ first shipment of salt in August 1908.Up until 1924, the salt operation employed up to 50 people seasonally and produced over 4,000 tons of salt annually.
Best Time to Visit Hutt Lagoon
The lake’s color varies based on the time of day, season (time of year), and amount of cloud cover when you visit, ranging from red to bubblegum pink to lavender purple. The middle of the day, when the sun is highest, is often the best time to visit.
Access to the pink lake
Hutt Lagoon in Port Gregory is located 45 minutes south of Kalbarri and just over an hour north of Geraldton. It is conveniently located on a route that connects George Grey Drive and Port Gregory Road. On Port Gregory Road, there is a specially designated (unsealed) Pink Lake Lookout where you can safely stop off the road, park your car, and get out to investigate. Alternately, if you need to stop along George Grey Road, give yourself enough time to find a good spot to securely pull over and park away from the road.
Finally, Accommodation
The Port Gregory Caravan Park is the lodging option that is most convenient for Hutt Lagoon. The Horrocks Beach Caravan Park, which is a little further out, is another option for lodging.
The Eco Haven Retreat is a great option to stay in if you want a private pool while visiting Kalbarri. If you are going on vacation with a group of pals, River Retreats Kalbarri is a fantastic choice. Both the Kalbarri Palm Resort and the Kalbarri Edge Resort offer comfortable lodging.
Things to do and not to do
The majority of our time at the lake was spent exploring various viewpoints, taking pictures, and flying the drone, aside from frequently exclaiming “wow” and staring at the pink water.
There are also local-led buggy trips available; this small group tour takes you across dunes and to several viewing areas around the lake. The local tour guide discusses the background and culture of Hutt Lagoon and the neighbourhood. Especially if you don’t have a drone, this is a fantastic alternative for taking aerial shots.
Swimmers are allowed in the pink lake, even though the water is highly salty and not the most enjoyable.
Swimmers are allowed in the pink lake, even though the water is highly salty and not the most enjoyable.
Conclusion
This concludes my overview of Western Australia’s famous pink lake.
In my honest opinion, Australia has the best pink lake. Have I persuaded you that you must visit this location for yourself yet? Please share in the comments section.
Writer
Atika Afia Broty
Intern at Content Writing department
YSSE