Why so salty?
Salt lakes form when water that enters the area can’t leave again. While the salt and other nutrients it is carrying have come to a dead end, the water can evaporate into the air. As this process continues, the water level remains fairly constant, but the salt begins to accumulate. They typically form inland, as when they are connected to the sea their concentrations can become diluted. When salt concentrations get so high that all other life dies out, salt-loving algae and bacteria have less competition and multiply in number. Pink lakes can fluctuate in colour as water levels change, but the pigment-bearing microorganisms in Lake Hillier are prevalent enough to keep the lake pink all year round.