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 |
| 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, salty pink lake on the Western Highway just north of Dimboola in me . 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] The brightness of the hue varies 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. 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.[5] 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.[6]
See also
References
- ^ "VICNAMES The Register of Geographic Names". maps.land.viv.gov.au. Victorian Government. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Boyd, Sophie (7 March 2017). "Pink Lake in the spotlight". The Wimmera Mail Times. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ Geraghty, David. "Why is Pink Lake pink?". The Australian. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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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- Short description matches Wikidata
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- Use Australian English from June 2018
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- Saline lakes of Australia
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