Westgate Park Lake in Melbourne 2024-2025
The lake turns bubblegum pink every summer
Best time: December–February
The natural wonder of Victoria, Westgate Park Lake is located in an industrial part of Melbourne. Westgate Park is a green oasis on the banks of the Yarra River, near the Westgate Bridge. The park provides great views of the Melbourne skyline and the Yarra river, as well as the seasonal pink lake, which looks so bright that it seems photoshopped on countless Instagram posts.
Despite its bizarre appearance, the Westgate Park Lake changes color because of natural phenomena. The lake has a high concentration of salt, which makes it a suitable habitat for algae. In the summer, water starts to evaporate and becomes even saltier, so the algae start to produce pink pigments or carotenoids to protect their chlorophyll cells. Once it starts to rain and the weather gets colder, the color of the lake turns back to normal.
Westgate Park Lake was man-made. Locals started noticing it turning pink in 2012 and 2013. Since then, the lake has been changing color every summer. December and January are usually the best time to see the phenomenon. Even though algae is not harmful to people, park authorities ask to stay away from the water during that time.
Find hotels and airbnbs near Westgate Park Lake (Map)
People interested
