AN INCREASE in the region's international visitors and wet weather has led to more tourists stopping at Pink Lake than ever before.
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The Dimboola lake’s parking bay has regularly been full of cars this week, with people wanting to get a photo of the eye-catching landmark.
Wimmera Mallee Tourism chairwoman and Yarriambiack councillor Helen Ballentine said there had been a growing interest from Chinese tourists in photography and reflections from salt lakes.
Lake Tyrrell, near Sea Lake, has experienced a similar boom in the past few years, with Chinese tourists flocking to the small town to take photos of the salt lake.
Cr Ballentine said the increase in tourism at Pink Lake was a flow-on from the boom at Lake Tyrrell.
She said because of this interest, Wimmera Mallee Tourism planned to push for Visit Victoria to promote Pink Lake more in the future.
Hindmarsh Shire tourism officer Jeff Woodward said it was fantastic to see the increased interest in Pink Lake.
Mr Woodward said the growing interest from Chinese visitors and wet weather had helped boost tourism.
“The regular rain has kept a little bit of water in the lake and enhanced the pink colour, which is a lot more vivid now than it is during drier years,” he said.
“There is also an increase in general traffic and passing tourists at this time of the year.”
Mr Woodward said Hindmarsh Shire Council had been promoting the lake regularly on its Visit Hindmarsh Facebook page.
“The lake has featured on the cover and in advertising in regional magazines such as Welcome to Wimmera and Out and About throughout 2017,” he said.
Mr Woodward said Wimmera Mallee Tourism promoted the region, including a segment on Pink Lake, in an episode of television program Travel Oz, which first aired on Channel 7 about a year ago.
He said repeats of the episode had since aired.
“Wimmera sight-seeing flight operator Andrew Kube, from Akube Aviation, has also been posting some awesome aerial photographs on social media, which have given some great exposure to Pink Lake,” he said.
Cr Ballentine said some international students visited the region late last year and did research on tourism.
“They included Pink Lake in their work and thought it was nice,” she said.
Hindmarsh mayor Ron Ismay said the increase in tourism was pleasing to see.
He said council should do what it could to promote the lake.
“Lake Tyrrell is very popular with overseas tourists – we need to make Pink Lake just as prominent,” he said.
“People go there to see the clear reflections in the water.”
Hindmarsh councillor David Colbert said Pink Lake was a hidden treasure in the region.
He said the lake had pure untapped tourism potential and could draw mammoth crowds.
“Lake Tyrrell is nothing compared with our Pink Lake,” he said.