No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. That lake is that pink. And before you ask – it’s a completely natural phenomenon and not some AI or camera trickery done to get more Instagram likes. Pink lakes are rare, and only a handful are found around the world. There are a couple in Western Australia (including maybe the most famous, Spencer Lake) and in South Australia, but Victoria is actually home to a few of its own rosy-hued lakes.

Keen to see these liquid fairy floss lakes IRL? Of course you are! Read on to discover where you can find Victoria’s prettiest pink lakes, plus why they turn pink and when is the best time to visit.

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How do lakes like these turn pink?

According to David Kennedy, coastal geomorphologist and associate professor at the University of Melbourne, salt lakes turn pink as a result of algae called Dunaliella Salina, which is found in sea salt fields, though Kennedy says there’s research that suggests bacteria can play a small part in the pink hue.

Some Australian salt lakes are hypersaline (landlocked and super salty) which isn’t an easy place for algae to live. Dunaliella Salina is what they call an extremophile, which means it thrives in environments that others usually can’t tolerate – like, say, the bottom of a salt lake. “The pink colour occurs when the salt content starts to increase,” says Kennedy. “The algae can happily tolerate salt levels of up to 28 to 35 per cent [by comparison, seawater is around 3.5 per cent] therefore the lakes tend to turn pink when salt levels increase which occurs in hot, dry conditions.”

Australia has a high number of pink lakes due to our climate. “Put simply, we’re hot and dry with little rainfall,” says Kennedy. “Also the ancient age of the continent also means there is a lot of salt in the landscape.” But not all salt lakes turn pink – it’s got to be the right climate for it. Rainfall and fresh groundwater can dilute a salt lake, which often means that the pink algae can’t thrive as much.

Best time to see the pink lakes

People are often curious about the best time to visit to see these lakes at their pinkest. Kennedy advises over summer: “The hotter and drier, the longer the lakes will stay pink, so late summer is the best time.”

If you’re going to visit any of the lakes, Parks Victoria advises that you stay on designated paths and avoid walking close to the edge of the lake, as it could be slippery and unstable. In terms of coming in contact with the water, there’s no indication that the bacteria is dangerous but it’s probably best you don’t touch the water just in case. And no swimming…

Also, please be respectful. Remember to leave these lakes as pristine and as beautiful as you found them, and be sure to take home all your rubbish.