Located next to the village of Port Gregory, just before you reach Kalbarri on the Port Gregory road, Hutt Lagoon (or its more common name, Pink Lake) is a must-stop on the Coral Coast.
Depending on the time of year and time of day, the water can change from pale pink to bright bubblegum pink! It makes for great happy snaps. The water is pink due to a type of algae (Dunaliella salina) which is high in beta-carotene. The lake is also home to the world’s largest microalgae production plant to harvest the beta-carotene for use as a food dye and in makeup!
There are two main places to access the lake, one on each side. Depending on the time of day and the way the sun hits the water the colour will look different from each spot. The south side (Port Gregory side) has a raised lookout where you can see the lake from your car. The track down to the water’s edge is quite steep but it’s soft sand (like a beach dune) and it’s easy to wade into the water on that side. The north side (Kalbarri side) is flatter but you will need to park and walk to see the water as there’s some scrub in the way. Shoes are definitely needed as it is like a salt flat and the salt crystals are very hard on the feet. The water is super saline so don’t let the kids drink it!
Pink Lake is getting more popular with tourists so if you are staying nearby it’s best to go early morning or late afternoon to avoid the day-trip buses. Better facilities and even a jetty are being considered to be built next year to cope with demand.
Hutt Lagoon (Pink Lake) is 515km from Perth at the intersection of Port Gregory Road and George Grey Drive. There is no fee to enter.
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