An abandoned coal mine is now one of Australia’s finest natural swimming holes – but it’s murky past means you dive in at your own risk.
Black Diamond Coal Mine flooded with water after it was decommissioned in the 1950s, and its brilliant blue water has been drawing droves of tourists ever since.
Sitting two hours southeast of Perth, WA, the lake now plays hosts to hordes of millennial travellers who use its sparkling turquoise depths as a backdrop for Instagram photos.
While there is no definitive answer about what makes the water such a striking shade of blue, scientists believe it is the result of sunlight reflecting off limestone rock on what was once the coal mine floor
An abandoned coal mine is now one of Australia’s finest natural swimming holes (pictured) – but it’s murky past means you dive in at your own risk
Black Diamond Coal Mine flooded with water after it was decommissioned in the 1950s, and its brilliant blue water has been drawing droves of tourists ever since
Black Diamond Lake, five kilometres north of the mining town of Collie and two hours drive southeast of Perth, WA
Although swimming is permitted, signs warn of dangerous levels of bacteria which means if you do fancy a dip, you should keep your head above water at all times.
You can’t camp at the lake, but there are plenty of sites nearby including one beside the equally breathtaking Stockton Lake, 14 kilometres east.
Popular for canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding, the enchanting azure water has lured van-lifers and travel bloggers living on the road in Western Australia to escape Covid lockdowns along the east coat.
Among them are influencer couple Kurt and Carly, who share their adventures on the Instagram account, Let’s Get Outta Here.
Followers were enthralled by the little-known lake, with many calling it one of the most beautiful untouched spots in WA.
‘These blue tones are CRAZY,’ one woman wrote, while a second said the water looked ‘spectacular’.
A third added: ‘Literally cannot get over the colour.’
While West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is keeping his state border firmly shut to prevent fresh Covid outbreaks, travel-starved explorers can get their fill further east at another lake with a similarly dubious past.
While swimming is permitted, signs warn of dangerous levels of bacteria which means if you do fancy a dip, you should keep your head above water at all times
Popular for canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding, the enchanting azure water has lured van-lifers living on the road in WA to escape Covid lockdowns on the east coast
The abandoned nuclear site of Mary Kathleen in Outback Queensland is now one of the country’s most unlikely Instagram hotspots.
The town of Mary Kathleen and a uranium mine of the same name were officially opened in 1958 by then-Prime Minister Robert Menzies and Queensland Premier Frank Nicklin.
At the time, the town boasted a population of 1,000 living less than 10 kilometres from its lifeblood – the mine – but today, all that remains are memories.
This abandoned nuclear site in Outback Queensland has become one of Australia’s most unlikely Instagram hotspots
In a tale eerily reminiscent of Chloe Zhao’s Oscar-winning Nomadland, Mary Kathleen is now a ghost town occupied by empty slabs where houses once stood and a town square abandoned save for a sign pointing to the foundations of the old post office and grocery store.
It sounds depressing and desolate, but tourists now flock there in 4WDs to capture Instagram shots of the old mine pit that is now a sparkling turquoise – and slightly radioactive – dam.
Concrete slabs that stand where shops and houses used to be play host to campers who pitch tents and spend a night in the deserted township so they can snap photos the next morning.
Photographer couple Kurt and Carly (pictured) drew stunned responses when they shared this photo of Mary Kathleen mine pit on Instagram
The dam has put Mary Kathleen back on the map, with tourists from across the country stopping there for a taste of something different.
Hundreds of Instagram photos are linked to the mine’s location tag on Instagram, with travel bloggers and ‘van-lifers’ calling it one of the most striking sights in Outback Queensland.
Photographer couple Kurt and Carly, who run Instagram page ‘Let’s Get Outta Here’, stumbled across the lake and drew dozens of stunned responses after they posted a photo of themselves gazing out over the water.
Many visitors said the ‘beautiful’ colour of the dam took their breath away.
Others said the township feels so ‘truly deserted’, it sends a shiver down your spine.
Mary Kathleen is now a ghost town occupied by empty slabs where houses once stood and a town square abandoned save for a sign pointing to the foundations of the old post office
But tourists now flock to Mary Kathleen in 4WDs to capture Instagram shots of the old mine pit that is now a sparkling turquoise – and slightly radioactive – dam
So alluring is the dam that several tours are now running in the area that served as a booming uranium plant for 24 years, before it became Australia’s first major uranium mine rehabilitation project, completed in 1985 at a cost of roughly $19million (AUD).
There has been much speculation about what gives the lake its brilliant blue colour, but it is believed to be caused by rusted mining equipment which has oxidised the water.
The mine has recorded ‘non acute’ levels of radiation, which means it is safe to visit.
But while the water looks inviting, visitors are advised not to swim.