First rare pink lakes in NSW to become unique tourist attraction
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A new natural tourist attraction is being set up in outback New South Wales.
For the first time, dazzling rare pink lakes will be protected within the NSW national parks estate.
A new natural tourist attraction is being set up in outback New South Wales, NSW DCCEEW
Australia has multiple bodies of water with the unusual hue, and they’re a favourite of road trippers and photographers.
However, they’re rarely seen in NSW and some appear only seasonally.
Now, the joint purchase of Pulgamurtie Station by the Minns and Albanese Labor governments is set to put new ones on the map.
Located 235 kilometres north-east of Broken Hill in Far West NSW, Pulgamurtie Station will protect more than 74,000 hectares of outback landscape, the federal government says.
For the first time, dazzling rare pink lakes will be protected within the NSW national parks estate. NSW DCCEEW
They say it will provide a home to more than 70 threatened species including the iconic brolga, pink cockatoo and slender darling pea flower.
But the most extraordinary features of the area are two striking pink lakes.
Their colour is created by naturally occurring microorganisms, including algae and bacteria, that thrive in highly salty water and produce pink pigments.
The area could be set to become a new camping destination too. NSW DCCEEW
The landscape also features outback plains, rolling sand dunes and thriving wetlands which provide critical feeding and breeding grounds for thousands of waterbirds.
The area is also rich in Aboriginal cultural heritage and forms part of the significant Dreaming songlines and contains historic stone artefacts, hearths and grinding stones, the government says.
The remote area of Far west NSW will become a wildlife haven. NSW DCCEEW
It could be set to become a new camping destination, too.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will explore potential visitor experiences including walking trails and scenic drives as well.
Federal Minister for the Environment Murray Watt said: “Australians love spending time in the bush and this purchase will protect more of it for future generations.”
NSW Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said: “This is a once-in-a-generation conservation and tourism opportunity that will protect these spectacular landscapes and allow more people to experience them.”
Pink lakes in Australia
Australia has multiple other pink lakes. They include Lake Hillier in Western Australia, which is even more dazzling thanks to the bright blue ocean surrounding it.
Esperance in Western Australia is close to dozens of vibrant pink and rainbow lakes.
Lake Hillier in Western Australia is a pink lake Getty
A six-hour drive north of Perth, Hutt Lagoon on the Coral Cost is also a must for road trippers.
South Australia’s Lake Eyre, near the Flinders Ranges, and Lake Bumbunga, two hours from Adelaide, also attract visitors.
In Victoria, the Murray-Sunset National Park, five hours from Melbourne, is home to pink lakes.
