South Australia is incredibly diverse – from rolling vineyards in the Barossa Valley and the thriving cultural hub in the heart of Adelaide, to the harsh terracotta desert and the ocean spray upon the many white peninsulas that frame the state’s south. But one thing you may not know you can find across the state, from the outback to the coast, are dreamy pink lakes.

Lake Bumbunga

Travel only 90 minutes from Adelaide and you’ll arrive at Lake Bumbunga’s flamingo-pink shores. A popular destination for tourists and professional photographers alike, Lake Bumbunga’s fuchsia surface attracts thousands of visitors each year. Located in the heart of the Clare Valley, this lake is a chameleon, changing shades depending on the water’s salt levels – which can range from pink to a shimmery, silvery blue and dazzling white. The lake itself is made up of three separate flats, with the salt harvested for use on an array of briny delights (from swimming pools to the kitchen!).

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre

See a contrasting kaleidoscope of colours at Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, where the outback’s fiery soil is complemented by pale pink and peach-coloured salt pans. A six-hour drive from Adelaide and smack bang in the middle of the remote South Australian desert, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is undeniably a powerful place. The lake was named in honour of Edward John Eyre, a controversial English explorer and politician. In December 2012, the land was returned to its traditional custodians, the Arabana people, and its traditional name, Kati Thanda, was added to its title.

Lake MacDonnell

Lake MacDonnell is a hefty 850 kilometres from Adelaide – but don’t let that stop you from seeing arguably the most popular pink lake in all of Australia. Here, Mother Nature pulls out all the stops and shows off her most jaw-dropping creation, where fairy-floss-coloured water sits on one side of the road, and turquoise water on the other. Lake MacDonnell looks like a freshly cut slice of watermelon, with the contrasting lake colours lapping against the edges of a stone-covered Point Sinclair Road.

To read more about South Australia’s pink lakes, check out the Winter 2022 edition of Caravanning Australia!

_{Image: Lake MacDonell (C) David Jaske.}