South Australia's Pink Lake Bucket List

Pink lakes can be found just an hour from Adelaide to the outskirts of the outback, just waiting to be explored. 

In colour psychology, shades of pink evoke feelings of love, tenderness, playfulness and even hope. Driving past one of our unique pink lakes, the vibrant tone a stark contrast against the surrounding landscape, you’ll feel it. The giddy excitement at the rare oddity, the warmth and love washing over you. From the quiet calm of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, to the playfulness of Lake Bumbunga’s kaleidoscope of colours, these lakes are a feast for the senses.

These lakes become blushing beauties thanks to high salinity levels, combined with the presence of salt-loving algae and the pink halobacteria. The lack of water causes the salt to be more concentrated, brightening the colour. But, the lakes aren’t always fairy floss pink – nature and the changing weather can see them turn from pink, to white, orange and even green.  But if you’re lucky enough to catch them in full bloom, we promise you’ll never forget it.

LAKE MACDONNELL, EYRE PENINSULA – 9.5 HOURS DRIVE FROM ADELAIDE

If you look the wrong way as you cruise down the causeway that divides Lake MacDonnell, you might miss its blushing hues. One side of the lake is beaming with a picture-worthy pink that contrasts against the blue hues across the way. Mother Nature broadens her palette as algae blooms in the summer,  painting a delicate wash of colour against the surrounding red earth.

When you’ve finished filling your peripherals with pink, head to the end of the road and you’ll find yourself at Cactus Beach. A body of water that may feel more familiar than the glowing pink pond you just encountered, but equally equipped at making you feel pacific in its presence.

LAKE BUMBUNGA, CLARE VALLEY – 1.5 HOURS DRIVE FROM ADELAIDE

Imagine this: you’re heading to Lake Bumbunga to get a glimpse of its chameleon-like waters. The catch? You don’t know what colour it is wearing that day.   Will it be pink, white or blue? This is the beauty of the Lochiel located lake— it is known for its everchanging façade dictated by the salinity of its water, and the ever-present sculpture of Loch Eel Monster that peers above its surface.

Early in the morning, the pink hue is so pale, it feels almost shy - blending against the sky, creating a calming presence. The sun deepens the colour of the lake as it rises, the pink waters becoming flush with intensity. Walking along its edge, you’ll be struck by the silence, the only sound the salt as it crunches beneath your feet.

While we feel there is a missed opportunity for a salt lake margarita stand here, there are plenty of nearby cellar doors. Just up the road from Lake Bumbunga lies the Clare Valley, producing some of the best riesling in the world.  The perfect opportunity to match your memories of the lake with a drink— rosé anyone?

KATI THANDA-LAKE EYRE, OUTBACK SOUTH AUSTRALIA – 6 HOURS DRIVE FROM ADELAIDE

Once you observe Australia's largest lake with your own eyes, its sheer size will make you feel grounded in its presence. Your line of sight fills with an endless expanse of salt, putting into perspective how terrific the terrain truly is. Usually Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre looks like an outback postcard - dry, cracked and representative of a giant salt pan. But when it rains? Pale pinks, oranges and yellows play in the shallows, pulling you into the smallest of details amongst the vastness.

As peaceful as it is on the ground, where you can savour the silence of the outback, nothing compares to the bird's eye view. Hop on a scenic flight with Wrightsair and take to the sky.

LAKE HART, OUTBACK SOUTH AUSTRALIA – 6 HOURS DRIVE FROM ADELAIDE

Picture the beauty and stillness of a vibrantly pink lake in daylight, but at night; lit up by the unpolluted starry skies of the Outback. What was once at the centre of a thriving industry in the 1930s, today draws visitors of all kinds, including those gazing out from The Ghan (an outback crossing trainline), as it snakes its way by.

KEEP EXPLORING SOUTH AUSTRALIA