#Lake Hillier-Middle Island Scenic Flight

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A Trip to Esperance, Western Australia, part 1 – Where to stay and the Cape-Le Grand National Park

So many people ask, what is the best time to visit Esperance?  Well that is a very good question, and the answer is not necessarily what most people think!!  Everybody agrees that Esperance is a popular spot for holiday makers throughout the Christmas School holidays, but then what seaside Australian town isn’t?  With Esperance being the closest ocean to inland gold mining capital Kalgoorlie, 400km to the north, it is little wonder that Esperance is a popular destination for vacationing mine workers and their families.

However, while the weather is generally fairly warm around December-January, the water temperature of the Southern Ocean is still far from balmy at that time of year.  So as a personal preference, I have always found the autumn to be the nicest time of year to visit, from March-May.  The water is warmer, the crowds have dissipated, and the winds are much slacker.  You will also find it a lot easier to get accommodation, and as such much easier to get a cheaper accommodation deal!!

There are numerous accommodation options in Esperance, ranging from backpacker hostels such as Esperance YHA, to motels such as Bayview Motel, Best Western Hospitality Inn, going up to The Jetty Resort, Esperance Island View Apartments, and Esperance Chalet Village to name a few.  For those towing a caravan, Pink Lake Caravan Park, and Esperance Bay Caravan Park have several accommodation offerings, and of course there are a lot of holiday houses available to rent also.

So what is there to do in Esperance?  Well unless you plan on staying a month, you won’t be able to see or do it all.  Our recommendation is to start with a scenic flight.  Firstly, because the weather can be very changeable in Esperance, and it would be a shame to arrive on a sunny day, only to miss out on one of the best scenic flights in Australia because you left it until your last day, but also because a scenic flight will give you a great overview of all the beautiful beaches you can visit while you are here.

The Lake Hillier-Middle Island Scenic Flight is fast becoming a “must-do” attraction in Western Australia.  Lake Hillier, on Middle Island is extremely unique, in that its water is pink, and it stays this colour all year round.  With the green trees, white sand, and turquoise waters of the Southern Ocean only metres away, it is truly something to behold.   You can read up on Lake Hillier at https://scenicflightbooker.com/lake-hillier-why-is-it-pink, or if you just want to book in now to take the flight go to https://scenicflightbooker.com/lake-hillier

So if you have been lucky enough to take the Lake Hillier-Middle Island Scenic Flight, then you are ready to start exploring!!  Esperance is known for its breathtaking scenery, with the whitest beach in Australia, Lucky Bay just a 40 minute drive away in the Cape Le Grand National Park.  You can either go by road, or if you have a good 4x4 and know what you are doing, you can drive all the way along the beach from Esperance….but make sure you check the tides first.  

The contrasting turquoise waters of Lucky Bay will give you the opportunity to take some amazing photographs, and if that isn’t enough for you, thanks to all the visitors feeding them, there are some very tame Kangaroos on the beach who are more than happy to pose for selfies….as long as you give them something to eat!!  Once you have finished playing with the Kangaroos, get yourself a coffee at the Lucky Bean Café.

While in the Cape Le Grand National Park, there are numerous trails to explore, from the gentle walk from Lucky Bay to Hellfire Bay, to the pretty steep, rocky climb up Frenchman Peak, the prominent pyramid shaped peak that can be seen from town.  Named by Alexander Forrest, surveyor and brother of prominent explorer and colonist John Forrest, because he thought the peak’s shape resembled that of a man wearing a Frenchman’s Cap.  The local Aboriginal’s know the peak as Mandooboornup.  If you are a bit unsteady on your feet I wouldn’t recommend this walk, it requires a decent level of fitness as it is about 3km return, and 262 metres up, but if some steep trails don’t bother you, I can highly recommend it, but try to go as early in the day as possible, the wind tends to pick up late morning and it is very exposed the higher you climb. 

It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the top from the carpark, but just before you get to the summit you will find a large cave, that gives a nice view through to coast as it stretches away to the east.  From here, the last part of the climb is a bit hairy in spots, and when you get to the top, you will enjoy unrestricted 360⁰ views.  It was getting pretty blustery by the time we made it to the top, so after a good look around, a drink and a breather, we made our way back down.  It is a lot less strenuous going down the hill but your legs will feel it by the time you get to the bottom!!

If you want to stay on in the park, to do some of the other walking trails or just relax at the beach there is a camping ground at Lucky Bay and also around Le Grand Beach, and from November 1st, Online Bookings are Essential.  Go to https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park-stay to book.   A guide to the Cape Le Grand National Park can be found here https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/cape-le-grand

So that’s it for part 1, stand by for part 2, with more things to see and do on a trip to Esperance!!

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Lake Hillier, Western Australia

Lake Hillier, on Middle Island, the largest of the islands that make up the Recherche Archipelago, around 130 kilometres (70 miles) from Esperance. One of the best ways to take in the spectacle is from the air on a scenic flight with Goldfields Air Services. The pink colour is considered to be due to the presence of the organism Dunaliella salina in the highly saline water. Dunaliella salina is a type of halophile green micro-algae especially found in sea salt fields. Unlike other pink lakes in Western Australia, which fade out during the summer months, the vibrant colour of Lake Hillier is permanent, and does not alter even when the water is taken in a container. As a result, this makes Lake Hillier a great destination at any time of the year, as you can guarantee you will see it at its pinkest regardless of when you visit.

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Awesome Australia! Stunning photos capture a country with some of earth’s most amazing landscapes

It was comedian Al Murray playing his Pub Landlord character who said: ‘Australia, great place but they’ve just done around the edges. They need to work towards the middle.’

But as these pictures show, the middle really is terrifically dramatic. 

And the edges, too, can be jaw-dropping.

The images we’ve gathered for your viewing pleasure include bizarre pink lakes, 800-million-year-old Land That Time Forgot-style mountain bowls and beaches that truly are heaven on earth.

There are also eye-catching snaps of the Aurora Australis, the extraordinary Bungle Bungles limestone formations and one of the world’s most impressive waterfalls.

Scroll down to discover Australia’s sensational scenery and the extraordinary stories behind it…

The breakers: What looks like the tide crashing on the shore is, in fact, the appropriately named Wave Rock near the small town of Hyden, in the southwest of Western Australia. It’s shown here at sunset. The local Ballardong people thought its configuration was no accident and believed that it had been created by the rainbow serpent when she dragged her swollen body over the land after she had drunk all the water. For this transgression she was turned to stone

An aerial view of the amazing Lake Hillier on the Recherche Archipelago in the Goldfields-Esperance region in Western Australia. The reason for the pink hue of the 2,000ft-long body of water is not fully understood by scientists. But the presence of red halophilic bacteria may be part of the explanation

Commanding an audience: Wilpena Pound is a natural amphitheatre of mountains located 429 kilometres (266 miles) north of Adelaide in South Australia. The jaw-dropping formation dates back 800 million years and the area has been home to Adnyamathanha people for tens of thousands of years. The highest point is St Mary Peak on the north-eastern side, which has a 3,800ft summit

Getting away from it all: The cliffs at the Kooljaman at Cape Leveque wilderness camp in Western Australia, which is owned and run by the Indigenous Bardi Jawi Communities

Divine backdrop: The Cathedral Gorge is a natural amphitheatre of red rock in the Bungle Bungle Range at Purnululu National Park (above), which is a series of bee-hive shaped sandstone towers that were formed around 375 million years ago

The sandstone formations known as the Bungle Bungles (from above) in Western Australia’s Purnululu National Park

A natural spa pool at the remote Hamersley Gorge, which has historically been home to the Banyjima, Kurrama and Innawonga Aboriginal people for at least 20,000 years. The canyon is set within Karijini National Park, with the word Karijini meaning ‘hilly place’ in the Banyjima tongue

Those keen on observing the heavens should note that Australia can give you the Milky Way in all its majesty and the Aurora Australis, the southern counterpart to the Northern Lights. This image was taken in Tasmania

Looking out towards the Hazards mountain range, which is located in the Freycinet National Park on the east coast of Tasmania. The range, which consists of five mountains, is said to be named after local African-American whaler Captain Richard Hazard

Thrills and spills: A waterfall on the Jatbula Trail in the Northern Territory’s Katherine region. The Jatbula trail is a six-day hike from the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre to Edith Falls along the edge of the Arnhem Land escarpment. The trek follows in the footsteps of generations of Jawoyn people who traditionally travelled through these parts. The trail is named after Peter Jatbula, who was instrumental in securing land rights for the Jawoyn people

The Tasman Arch is just one of many unusual geological formations found in the Tasman National Park. The arch lies in the southeast of Australia’s island state, about 75 kilometres (46 miles) southeast of Hobart, the state capital. The park offers some of the best coastal walks in the country and is home to some of the highest and most spectacular sea cliffs in the world

The 328-foot-high twin waterfalls of King George Falls are one of Western Australia’s most astounding spectacles. Due to its remote location, a cruise to the King George River gorge or a scenic flight over the north Kimberley coast are the only ways to access the falls. April and May are good times to visit, as rainfall adds extra power

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Australia's Mysteriously Pink Lake

The bright pink lake located on an island called middle island in Australia is the small and surreal lake. This bizarre sight of the pink lake can be due to the salt-loving algae present in it. Australia has a couple of such pink lakes; Lake Hillier is the most famous of them.

It is situated on Middle Island, off the southern coast of Western Australia, this oddly hued lake was first discovered in January 1802 by British explorer Matthew Flinders. When he climbed the highest peak on the island, he spotted this ‘small lake of rose color’. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the lake was saturated with large amount of salt. He even found crystallized salt near the lake’s shores, enough for him to load a ship and take back home.

The surrounding eucalyptus forest and the blue ocean, make the lake’s pink color pop even more. Even though there are other such lakes, like Pink Lake in Australia itself and Lake Retba in Senegal, none are quite like this one. While the causes behind the odd coloring of other pink lakes have been scientifically discovered, Lake Hillier’s tint remains a mystery. What further baffles scientists is unlike pink lakes whose color changes according to the temperature, Lake Hillier’s shade of pink doesn’t budge. Some attribute the lake’s color to the presence of Dunaliella salina microalgae, that have a pink, red, or salmon color. Others say it’s a reaction between the salt and the sodium bicarbonate found in the lake that causes its pink hue. The mystery remains unsolved.

While it would be fun to take a swim in this candy colored lake, tourists are unfortunately prohibited from swimming in it. Don’t be disheartened though. You can admire it from above! In fact, it looks much better seen from above and its pink color too appears starker. Scenic flight tours over the island is the most common method of seeing the lake. Those looking for a closer visit can take a cruise to the island to explore its forests and this isolated lake.

Lake Hillier is undoubtedly one of Australia's best places to visit.

Book flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth on EMI without a credit card on Mihuru. Book Now, Pay Later!

Resource- https://medium.com/mihuru-direct/australias-mysteriously-pink-lake-a0556879bb5a

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The Lake Hillier-Middle Island Scenic Flight

You may have heard of Australia’s Pink Lakes, and you have probably seen pictures of a beautiful pink lake and most likely this was Lake Hillier, on Middle Island, in the Recherche Archipelago near Esperance, Western Australia.  Being on an Island 150 kilometres away from the nearest major town makes access to see this natural wonder of the world difficult.  There is only one regular service to see Lake Hillier, and this is the Lake Hillier-Middle Island Scenic Flight departing several times a day from Esperance Airport which can be booked with Scenic Flight Booker.

This Scenic Flight is fast becoming a “must-do” attraction in Western Australia with people from across the globe travelling to Esperance to see the phenomenon.  What surprises many who take this flight though is just how much else there is to see on this 1 hour and 40 minute flight.  Many travel agents and tourists alike have told me after taking this flight that they came to see Lake Hillier, which is magnificent, but it really is just the icing on the cake of a breathtaking flight.

After meeting the pilot and receiving the safety briefing at the Esperance Airport Terminal, we were escorted to the aeroplane and strapped in ready for our flight.  The aircraft was perfect for the task, with a high wing, each passenger gets a seat next to a huge, bubble-window, giving panoramic views.

After taking off, there is a short transit across rolling fields of farmland towards the town of Esperance.  The first thing that gets pointed out to us is “Pink Lake” also known as Spencer Lake, which up until about 10 years ago was also a pink colour, but has since turned a milky white.  Many tourists are disappointed as they mistake this lake for Lake Hillier, not realising they have to take a flight to see the pink lake in all the pictures.

A quaint seaside town bordered along the waterfront Esplanade by towering Norfolk Pine trees, Esperance was named after a French ship of the same name which, commanded by Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec, sheltered from a storm in the area in 1792.  While the area was explored by British navigator Matthew Flinders who named many of the islands and bays including Thistle Cove and Lucky Bay, and numerous whalers, sealers and pirates operated in the area, the site of Esperance was not settled until the 1860s when the Dempster brothers were granted 304,000 acres of land in the area and established the beginnings of the town.

The flight gives a great view of the town, the remnants of the slowly collapsing 80+ year old jetty and the modern-day Esperance Port.  After getting a good look at Esperance, the plane sets out over the bay towards Cape Le Grand National Park.  On the way we pass over Woody Island, one of the 105 islands and over 1200 “obstacles to shipping” of the Recherche Archipelago.  Woody Island is the home of Woody Island Eco Tours and accommodation which is served by a ferry from Esperance.

Reaching the far side of the bay and the start of the Cape Le Grand National Park, the first thing you notice is the giant monolith of Mount Le Grand (345m tall) and oddly shaped Frenchman Peak (262m tall and named after the hat French troops of the 1800s wore).  Continuing around the coastline, your first glimpse of the whitest beaches in Australia will take your breath away!!  First Hellfire Bay, and then the large horseshoe shape of Lucky Bay showcase turquoise water so clear that you can see all the way through to the reefs below and any sea life lurking beneath the waves.  The water makes way for the Geoscience Australia Certified “Whitest Sand in Australia” beach of Lucky Bay, a beach popular with tourists for its friendly Kangaroos combined with beautiful vistas.

After some great photo opportunities over the bay, the flight continues along completely deserted beaches to what is my favourite spot in the area; Victoria Harbour, Wharton Beach and Duke of Orleans Bay.  If you have a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, these beaches are definitely worth a visit despite the 80-odd km drive to get here!!  At this point I think it is worth mentioning, that particularly on a nice day, you will spend the entire flight looking down thinking “wow that looks like a great place to go swimming or fishing.”  And I can confirm, every one of those beaches along the flight route is great!!  If you don’t have an off-road vehicle, don’t worry, Esperance Eco Discovery Tours do an excellent off-road beach tour in their custom 4x4 vehicle.  Check out combo deals at www.scenicflightbooker.com/esperance to see options to package this with your Scenic Flight.

After some great views of the Duke of Orleans Bay area, the aircraft heads for Middle Island.  It is about a 15 minute transit across the water from here where you will often see ocean life, numerous reefs, and islands and you marvel at just how the early explorers ever navigated through the 1200 “hazards to nautical navigation”

And then, growing ever larger in the front window, there it is….Middle Island!!  Initially hidden by the 185 metre tall Flinders Peak, Lake Hillier slowly reveals itself as we fly closer and the surreal bubble-gum pink colour of the lake becomes apparent.  Considered to be due to the presence of the organism Dunaliella Salina, the water stays this pink colour all year round.  With the green trees, white sand, and turquoise waters of the Southern Ocean only metres away, it is truly something to behold.

The aircraft does several laps of Middle Island, giving the passengers on both sides great views of Lake Hillier. As we fly around, the pilot points out various features and regales everyone on board with some history of the island, including John Flinders time here and Black Jack Anderson, Australia’s only known pirate who was based on Middle Island in the 1800s.

After filling our camera memory cards with once in a lifetime photos, we say goodbye to Lake Hillier and fly past Cape Arid, following the vast deserted beaches of Yokinup Bay.  If you are lucky enough to be taking this flight between June and October, this is where you will be almost guaranteed to see pods of Southern Right Whales as they migrate along the coast to the warmer breeding grounds of the Kimberley in the far north of Western Australia.  The crystal clear water is perfect for whale-watching from the aeroplane, and the whales can clearly be seen kicking up sand on the sea floor with their tails as they frolic in the bay. Before the flight heads for home, we are treated to more beautiful coastline, beaches, bays  and sparkling water along the way.

If you are looking to take this flight, I cannot recommend it highly enough.  However don’t leave it until your last day in Esperance!!  The weather along the south coast of Western Australia can be very changeable, so book your flight in for the first day you can in Esperance, that way if the weather is not so good, you can reschedule.  I know many people who have left the flight until the morning they leave, and then missed out as that day was not suitable for flying!!  The added bonus of going on your first day is that you get to see all the amazing beaches and get ideas of beaches to visit while in the Esperance region.  You can book this flight and see Esperance package tour and accommodation deals online at https://scenicflightbooker.com/esperance

Scenic Flight Booker holds $10 million liability insurance and guarantees that all tours sold by Scenic Flight Booker have been audited to meet all relevant legislative and additional insurance requirements.

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Caused by the organism Dunaliella Salina, the pink colour of Lake Hillier, near Esperance, Western Australia is truely unique out on Middle Island, in the clear turquiose waters of the Southern Ocean. Scenic Flights depart Esperance Airport several times a day and can be booked at www.scenicflightbooker.com/western-australia #scenicflightbooker #scenicflight #lakehillieresperance #experienceesperance #discoverwa #australia #australiasgoldenoutback #aerialphotography #photography #summervacation #justanotherdayinwa (at Lake Hillier Esperance) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq-CNrcFOX4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e4ebnfgl9jhs