Saltmarsh

The saltwater lake was once a deep sand quarry and is possibly connected to the sea at Port Melbourne, less than a kilometer away. The indigenous plants that surround the lake are succulents, grasses and sedges – all salt tolerant and surviving in ground that in some places is hyper saline. These plants grow slowly and are easily damaged so please avoid trampling them.

About 30% of saltmarsh along the Victorian coastline has been permanently cleared for development so we are fortunate to have saltmarsh plants at our doorstep. This area was once habitat for the highly endangered Orange Bellied Parrot which feeds almost exclusively on the seeds of saltmarsh plants. It migrates in winter from Tasmania to Victoria but we have yet to see one!

Other interesting birds birds come and sometimes nest on the lake edges. We have seen many Dotterels, Swans, ducks and Black-winged Stilts on the salt lake.

Yes – the salt lake has turned pink on several occasions – always when water levels are low, temperatures are high and the water is hyper saline – so salty that birds generally stay clear.

Sampling by wetland ecologist, Joan Powling, shows that the explosion of colour in the Salt Lake is made by a purple sulphur bacteria, probably Chromatium species, the cells of which are packed with sulphur granules.
And it may be improving the environment!

More information on saltmarsh here.