The lake is an irregular shape. The land between the lake and the sea is only a few kilometres wide along most of its length. There are several small, sandy, low-level islands in the lake. Pulbah Island, located south of Swansea is a large island with rocky cliffs. It covers an area of . Pulbah is an Aboriginal name meaning "island". Pulbah Island is also a sacred site for the Awabakal people.