Pink Lake (Victoria)

Pink Lake
Pink Lake, 2015
Pink Lake
Location in Victoria
Location Dimboola, Victoria
Coordinates 36°25′05″S 141°57′40″E / 36.41806°S 141.96111°E / -36.41806; 141.96111Coordinates: 36°25′05″S 141°57′40″E / 36.41806°S 141.96111°E / -36.41806; 141.96111
Type Salt lake
Basin countries Australia
Max. length 2 km (1 mi)
Max. width 2 km (1 mi)
Surface area 45 ha (111 acres)
Surface elevation 250 m (820 ft)

Pink Lake (historically known as Lake Lochiel[1]) is a small circular salt lake on the Western Highway just north of Dimboola. Granville Stapylton, part of the explorer Thomas Mitchell's 1836 expedition into western Victoria, reconnoitered Pink Lake on 20 July 1836.[2]

The lake received its name from its distinctive pink colour.[3] With the brightness of the hue varying according to the level of rainfall.[4] Until recently it was assumed that red algae created the pink hue however recent research reported by Australian Geographic describes the colour as result of a pigment produced by the Salinibacter ruber bacteria.[5] The lake along with Lake Crosbie, Lake Becking, Lake Kenyon and Lake Hardyis are part of the Murray-Sunset National Park and is managed by Parks Victoria.[6] A rest-stop overlooks the lake's basin.

Salt has been harvested from the lake since the 1860s and on average 20 tonnes a year are harvested by the Mount Zero Olive company working in conjunction with the Barengi Gadjin Land Council.[7] Commercial harvesting stopped in the 1970s but was resumed after negotiations between the Victorian State government, the Barengi Gadjin Land Council and the Mount Zero Olive Company in 2009.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "VICNAMES The Register of Geographic Names". maps.land.viv.gov.au. Victorian Government. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  2. ↑ Reid, John; Lovett, Keith H.; Blake, les J. (1996). Road Board to Restructure: The History of the Shire of Wimmera. Bacchus Marsh: Joval. p. 8. ISBN 095881127X.
  3. ↑ Boyd, Sophie (7 March 2017). "Pink Lake in the spotlight". The Wimmera Mail TImes. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  4. ↑ Geraghty, David. "Why is Pink Lake pink?". The Australian. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Cassella, Carly (14 December 2016). "How an Australian lake turned bubble-gum pink". Australian Geographic. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "The Pink Lakes: Victoria's own outback". parkweb.vic.gov.au. Parks Victoria. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  7. ↑ Clark, Emily (28 April 2018). "Pink Lake harvest provides 'best salt in the world' and beautiful reason to stop for a photo". The ABC. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  8. ↑ McNiven, Hilary (21 May 2015). "Digging for an Australian delicacy: hand harvesting pink salt in the Wimmera". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
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