Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Australia Fraser Island Lake McKenzie / Boorangoora

Lake McKenzie / Boorangoora

The only pollutant in the clear blue water is sunscreen.

Fraser Island, Australia

serflac profile photo
Added By
ser flac
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Lake McKenzie   Korkut Tas / CC BY-SA 3.0
Lake McKenzie   Lucas·G / CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake McKenzie   UrbanDruid / CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Mackenzie   mtvanrooyen / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Located 100 meters above sea level, Lake McKenzie on Fraser Island is one of the most beautiful and well-known freshwater lakes in Australia. The lake is a "perched lake" meaning it exists well above the water table and is thus comprised of pure rainwater only.

This unique environment, along with the high levels of acidity in the lake, makes the water unsuitable for nearly all forms of plant and fish life. Without natural waste from plant and animal life, the lake is extremely pure. Strangely enough, the lake is too pure to sustain natural life that would otherwise inhabit its waters. Along with the clean water, the sand around Lake McKenzie is pure silica, giving the beach a shimmering white color. The famous heart-shaped-tree adds to the already pretty landscape.

Unfortunately, human introduced compounds, such as sunscreen, soaps, and lotions, which wash off bathers' bodies is a growing concern and could degrade the pristine blue lake.

 

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Related Tags

Water

Know Before You Go

Drive 120 miles North of Brisbane and board a barge to Fraser Island. Buses are also available to a ferry

Community Contributors

serflac profile photo

Added By

serflac

Blindcolour profile photo caz profile photo Michelle Cassidy profile photo mtvanrooyen profile photo

Edited By

Blindcolour, caz, Michelle Cassidy, mtvanrooyen

  • Blindcolour profile photo Blindcolour
  • caz profile photo caz
  • Michelle Cassidy profile photo Michelle Cassidy
  • mtvanrooyen profile photo mtvanrooyen

Published

September 23, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_McKenzie
  • https://www.ytravelblog.com/things-to-do-on-fraser-island/
Lake McKenzie / Boorangoora
Fraser Island, 4581
Australia
-25.447124, 153.056705

Nearby Places

SS Maheno

Fraser Island, Australia

miles away

The Story Bank

Maryborough, Australia

miles away

Mary Poppins Statue

Maryborough, Australia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Fraser Island

Fraser Island

Australia

Places 2

Nearby Places

SS Maheno

Fraser Island, Australia

miles away

The Story Bank

Maryborough, Australia

miles away

Mary Poppins Statue

Maryborough, Australia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Fraser Island

Fraser Island

Australia

Places 2

Related Places

  • Simpson Spring

    Easton, Massachusetts

    Simpson Spring

    The oldest independent bottling plant in America was built directly over an ancient spring — and famously rejected Coca-Cola.

  • Princes Pier terminal building

    Port Melbourne, Australia

    Princes Pier

    Once an arrival port for post-war migrants, this pier is now a forest of pylons in the bay and a popular spot for fishing and a backdrop for wedding photos

  • The mermaids can be found not only in nature but also along the streets of Hernando County towns.

    Brooksville, Florida

    Mermaid Tale Trail

    Dozens of giant mermaids are hidden across Florida’s coast in parks, yards, and beaches.

    Sponsored By Florida's Adventure Coast
  • Castlefield Viaduct

    Manchester, England

    Castlefield Viaduct

    A Victorian-era British railway viaduct has been transformed into an elevated garden.

  • Čučuci Waterfall

    Čučuci, Montenegro

    Čučuci Waterfall

    Tucked into the hills above Rafailovići, this small hidden waterfall offers a rare pocket of calm just minutes from Montenegro’s crowded Adriatic beaches.

  • Naruto Strait and its famed whirlpools

    Naruto, Japan

    Naruto Whirlpools

    The famed natural wonder that gave its name to a fishcake as well as one of the most popular anime series of all time.

  • Wallender Born 'Brubbel'

    Wallenborn, Germany

    Wallender Born 'Brubbel'

    A rare cold-water geyser that bubbles to life every half hour.

  • Six Fontaines

    Herve, Belgium

    Six Fontaines

    A Belgian town divided its water supply into six troughs, each with a specific use.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.