Pink Lake Western Australia – Visitor’s Guide (2024)

Pink Lake Western Australia, otherwise known as Hutt Lagoon, has to be one of Western Australia’s most popular and iconic tourist attractions.

Hutt Lagoon is a salt lake, home to the world’s largest microalgae production site. The lake’s famous pink coloring is the result of algae production that produces beta-carotene which is actually a food coloring agent.

Beta-carotene is also said to be a great source of Vitamin A, with Dunaliella Salina commonly used in cosmetics and supplements as it’s fantastic for skin health.

In this guide, I’ve included everything you need to know about this insane destination, and hopefully, off the back of this, you can plan the perfect trip to Pink Lake Australia.

WHERE IS PINK LAKE WESTERN AUSTRALIA?

Hutt Lagoon Pink Lake is located in Yallabatharra, Western Australia, approximately a 5.5-hour drive north of Perth.

Click here to see the location on Google maps.

The closest commercial town to Pink Lake in Western Australia will be Geraldton, with a range of shops, cafes, and accommodation options.

The closest town geographically is Gregory, a tiny town located right on the lake but not much more than a jetty and a caravan park.

HOW TO GET TO PINK LAKE HUTT LAGOON

The best and most convenient way to get to Pink Lake Hutt Lagoon is to drive. Actually, it’s pretty much the only way, and being so remote, a car is pretty essential when visiting.

As I mentioned, from Perth it’s about a 5.5-hour journey in the car. Take State Highway 60 which is the coastal road all the way north.

This is the most scenic route as you’ll edge the ocean the entire trip.

Look out for signs to Jurien Bay on your way north. This is the halfway point on your route to Pink Lake Australia and makes for the perfect place to stop, refuel, load up on snacks and maybe swap over the drivers before taking on the last leg of the journey.

BEST TIME TO VISIT PINK LAKE AUSTRALIA

Bear in mind that Pink Lake Western Australia is a natural phenomenon that is controlled by the elements. This makes it quite hard to predict the best times of year to visit the lake.

Summer provides less cloud coverage which will make the lake appear more intense in color but can mean there is less water.

Winter is the opposite, with more water but less intense color due to the cloud coverage.

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It’s also known that light intensity and temperature affect the growth of algae, which is essentially what makes the lake pink.

So all in all, it’s hard to predict the best time. Nevertheless, you can Google images of the lake all year round and it’s mesmerizing whatever month you go.

Top Tip: Search #HuttLagoon or the Hutt Lagoon location tag on Instagram. Hundreds of pictures are uploaded daily, which will give you an idea of how the lake is looking.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT HUTT LAGOON

Upon reaching Western Australia Pink Lake there is nothing else to say other than your breath will simply be taken away. It’s one of those phenomena that simply doesn’t feel real.

The blue sky, contrasting with the vibrant pink water takes quite some time to get your head around.

The lake is approximately 12km long so there are plenty of opportunities for you to pull the car over and take a look or park the car and get out to explore.

At Pink Lake Viewpoint, you can park the car and take a wander around the lake, obviously with your camera in hand, snapping away at every opportunity.

The more exploring that’s done, the more shades of pink will be discovered.

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Swimming in the lake is deemed to be safe although it’s not generally done. You may see a few people wading around in there but I wouldn’t suggest staying in there too long or swimming too deep.

The lake is incredibly salty and the bottom of the lake is covered in salt crystals. The salt crystals are incredibly hard, so wearing shoes will be imperative.

The salt levels in the lake mean anything you wear, will pretty much be ruined if you don’t wash it off pretty quickly… especially if you’re out in the sun.

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If you’re looking for a little relaxation and some real swimming time, head into the town of Gregory.

Here you’ll find a beautiful turquoise beach with bright white sand and some pretty epic scenes. You’ll also find public toilets, picnic areas, and public barbecues.

Back to Pink Lake, if you’re feeling adventurous and have a 4×4, then you are able to drive around the salt banks of the lake.

But remember to be courteous of people around, the natural habitat around you, and only do this if you’re a confident off-road driver.

Feeling a little adventurous, why not take a buggy tour if you don’t fancy driving yourself?

These tours will take you up and through the sand dunes which surround the lake and will also give you the opportunity to see the lake from a slightly more elevated perspective, without having to fly high.

There is also the option of a scenic flight leaving from Geraldton to Pink Lake Hutt Lagoon. Try viewing it from above as if the lake isn’t breathtaking enough on foot.

Here you’ll be able to see the full magnitude of the lake and the surrounding areas, giving you a real sense of just how spectacular this natural attraction really is.

Geraldton Air Charter, Shine Aviation, and Kalbarri Scenic Flights offer flight tours, all operating from Geraldton.

BOOK NOW → PINK LAKE WESTERN AUSTRALIA SCENIC FLIGHT

WHAT TO PACK FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

When visiting WA, here is a list of items I highly recommend bringing with you:

FINAL THOUGHTS – HUTT LAGOON PINK LAKE

If you haven’t already been to Pink Lake Western Australia and needed yet another reason to go, then please let this guide be that reason.

It’s one of those things that you’ll forever kick yourself for if you didn’t go and one of those moments of pure joy when you arrive.

It’s really not that difficult to see why people love Hutt Lagoon Pink Lake so much. As I said before, it’s definitely a ‘take your breath away’ moment and just adds to the already growing list of amazing things to do on the Coral Coast of Australia.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions about the Western Australia Pink Lagoon, please leave a comment below this post and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

For a quicker response, be sure to join Jonny Melon’s Travel Tribe on Facebook and post your questions or recommendations to our awesome community.

TRAVEL RESOURCES FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or it’s your first trip overseas, here are some useful travel resources to help you kick-start your next adventure!

THANKS FOR READING

Hey friend, thanks for reading this guide!

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Many thanks!

This trip was in association with Tourism WA and Backyard Bandits.