Things to Do in Geraldton

Western Australia’s Pink Lake, or the “Hutt Lagoon,” makes for some spectacular photo opportunities—a bright bubble gum-pink pool that stands in stark contrast to the azure ocean just to the west. The inland sea is a natural phenomenon, caused by its resident algae, and it’s one of just a handful of its kind in the world.

 

The best views of Australia's Pink Lake are from the air, where the pink-hued waters are even more striking from an aerial perspective. Take off on a scenic flight from Geraldton, circle over the Pink Lake, swoop over the sea cliffs of Kalbarri, and enjoy views of the Murchison River, the Abrolhos Islands, and Wiebbe Hayes Fort.

 

 

The Pink Lake is located on the coast of Western Australia, just more than an hour’s drive north of Geraldton or around 30 minutes by plane.

 

The most dramatic time to visit is midmorning or at sundown, when the sunlight hitting the lake makes it shine even brighter and pinker.

 

The lake gets its rosy color from its resident algae, Dunaliella salina, which is a source of beta-carotene, a natural retinol and food coloring. The bright pink pigment is so sought-after that the world's largest microalgae farm is located on the lake, forming fields of algae and patterns that can only be seen by plane. Aside from algae, brine shrimp—or “sea monkeys”—are also raised in the lake and used as food in fish farms.

Imagine soaring above Humpback whales as they breach in the water below, and seeing manta rays, dolphins, and shipwrecks as they whiz by under your feet. That’s the scene that visitors may experience on a sightseeing tour of the Abrolhos, an island chain off Western Australia that’s one of the nation’s best secrets. Save for a handful of lobster fisherman, the Abrolhos Islands are completely uninhabited—protected in conservation—though select areas are accessible to visitors who arrive by air and by sea.

One of the most popular way to experience the islands is on a flightseeing tour from Geraldton, where pilots search for splashing marine life in the turquoise waters below, and point out the wreck of the famous Batavia which sank in the 17th Century. Touching down on one of the islands, hike along white-sand, tree-lined shorelines for the chance to snorkel the reef, where the vibrant colors and wealth of marine life offer some of Australia’s best snorkeling. Unlike more popular spots, however, like Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef, the Abrolhos Islands are nearly deserted—just you, your pilot, and the sea.