The fascination with Esperance’s pink Lake Hillier continues and now there’s a new way for visitors to see it.
HeliSpirit has launched new tours that includes scenic helicopter flights over Esperance’s Recherche Archipelago, Cape Le Grand and Cape Arid National Parks, including Woody Lake, Frenchman Peak, Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay, Blue Haven, Twilight Bay and Lake Hillier, Middle Island.
Besides showcasing Esperance’s natural wonders via unparalleled aerial views, HeliSpirit offers the opportunity to land on Middle Island for a guided walk around the bubble-gum pink lake.
HeliSpirit has partnered with a local tourism operator to provide helicopter transfers to Woody Island so that guests can join the Woody Island Eco Tours offered or self-explore the island.
HeliSpirit Managing Director, Michael McConachy, said that by introducing this new tourism product into the Esperance region, he is confident it will not only help to attract more visitors, but also encourage visitors to stay longer and travel in shoulder periods.
“Esperance is an important new base for HeliSpirit and we are proud to be committing to the region for this venture; we are confident it is going to be a success and hope that it provides benefits for all involved,” Michael said.
There’s a rare chance for visitors to get closer to the pink lake Instagram sensation and that’s with a cruise to Middle Island set to sail on limited dates in January with Esperance Island Cruises where they’ll be able to marvel at the phenomenon from the lake’s viewing platform.
Esperance Island Cruise manager Jaimen Hudson said that they only operate the cruise to Middle Island on limited dates in January.
“It’s a really special tour and very few people have the opportunity to get up close to Lake Hillier because it’s extremely isolated – it takes about two hours to cruise there from the Duke of Orleans which is 100 kilometres east of Esperance,” Jaimen said.
The added benefits of taking the cruise on the 60-foot vessel are the wildlife encounters along the way, such as dolphins playing at the bow of the boat, a stop at the campground ruins of Australia’s only recorded pirate, Black Jack Anderson and the beautiful scenery.
Another way to see Lake Hillier is by taking a scenic flight with Goldfields Air Services where every seat is a window seat. Visitors have an option to add a half day tour with Esperance Island Cruises around the Recherche Archipelago.
The scenic flight path follows Esperance Bay past Frenchman’s Peak and over the Cape Le Grand National Park where guests will see Australia’s white beaches as certified by Geoscience Australia as well as the stunning turquoise waters of Lucky Bay, before continuing through the Recherche Archipelago to Middle Island and the world-renowned pink lake. The total flight time is about one hour and 40 minutes.
The only other way visitors can see Lake Hillier is by chartering a plane, helicopter or boat.
Entirely natural, research shows that Lake Hillier’s vibrant pink colour comes from 10 species of salt-loving bacteria, archaea and several species of Dunaliella algae that are almost all pink, red or salmon-coloured.
Esperance is a domestic tourism hotspot, renowned for its white-sand coastline, unique national parks, abundant marine life and the famed pink lakes that each year attracts more than 190,000 visitors.
Australia’s Golden Outback CEO Marcus Falconer said that visitors are encouraged to book their Esperance tours now to avoid disappointment.
“The COVID-19 travel restrictions have seen Esperance boom in popularity, which is great news for not just tourism businesses, but all Esperance businesses,” Marcus said.
“Summer and autumn are a perfect time to visit Esperance enjoy the unique and fantastic attractions of the area,” Marcus said.
For more information on Esperance, visit www.visitesperance.com
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