Quairading, WA: Pink Lake and other things to do

The best things to do in Quairading, Western Australia, include climbing to the top of Nookaminnie Rock in the Quairading Nature Reserve and seeing the strange Quairading Pink Lake.

4 best things to do in Quairading, WA

The best things to do in Quairading are:

Learn about olive oil at Toapin Rise Farm.
Go walking in the Quairading Nature Reserve.
Climb Nookaminnie Rock.
Get your photos of the Quairading Pink Lake.

Where is Quairading, Western Australia?

Quairading, WA, is a rural service town in the Wheatbelt region. Most visitors won’t feel the urgent need to pull off the Great Eastern Highway to visit, but Quairading does provide a few attractions just off the main route from Perth to Kalgoorlie.

Things to do in Quairading include visiting the Toapin Rise Farm. This fairly new venture aims to bring high quality olive oil to the Wheatbelt, and Toapin Rise only sells the current season’s oil.

Things to do in Quairading, WA: Quairading Nature Reserve

Other Quairading attractions include the Quairading Nature Reserve, which spread over 527 hectares of woodland and shrubland.

There are several walking trails within the reserve, with some having interpretive signage so you can understand more about the flora and fauna you’re looking at.

The star attraction within the Quairading Nature Reserve, however, is Nookaminnie Rock. Climb up to the top of this large granite outcrop for excellent views of the town and the surrounding agricultural landscape. Come in spring, and there’s a carpet of wildflowers around. The best time of day to attempt the climb is in the late afternoon or early evening, as the sunsets can be spectacular.

Nookaminnie Rock is one of several granite outcrops in the region, and the 60km Granite Way driving route links several of them. The route passes through the neighbouring Kellerberrin and Bruce Rock shires.

Quairading Pink Lake

Also on the road towards Bruce Rock is perhaps Quairading’s strangest attraction.

The Quairading Pink Lake turns a lurid shade of pink when conditions are right. Generally, this is when evaporation causes the water level to drop in summer. When the water is low, salt deposits build up, and when the water rises again after rain, half of the lake takes on the pink colour.

Quairading pink lake in Quairading, WA — To see the Quairading pink lake actually pink, you need the right weather conditions. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

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