19 October
Nestled in a sheltered southerly corner of Shark Bay, Hamelin Pool has extremely salty water, ideal conditions for colonies of Stromatolites, or ‘living rocks’, formed from layered limestone rock built by single celled bacteria which trap and bind sediments. Some build craggy towers, others flat spongy mats. They can been seen at low water. 
Eagle’s Bluff - incredible views of a shallow bay where you can see shoals of Lemon Sharks and the occasional cow-tailed stingray swimming over the sandy seabed.
The waters around Shark Bay are particularly salty which makes for a number of interesting natural phenomena. Visits to these helped break up the long journey to Monkey Mia.
Shell Beach - composed entirely of the shells of little cockles which thrive in saline water. The shells accumulate on the beach where they are 5m deep in places. Over time, rainwater causes them to cement together and the resulting stone has been quarried for use in local buildings. 
Hamelin Pool & the Stromatolites - Hamelin Pool is an old Telegraph Station. The quaint buildings now serve visitors drinks, ices and souvenirs.
Nestled in a sheltered southerly corner of Shark Bay, Hamelin Pool has extremely salty water, ideal conditions for colonies of Stromatolites, or ‘living rocks’, formed from layered limestone rock built by single celled bacteria which trap and bind sediments. Some build craggy towers, others flat spongy mats. They can been seen at low water. 
These bacteria first appeared on earth 3.5bn years ago when oxygen was scarce. Expanding Stromatolite colonies released oxygen into the atmosphere, raising it to the levels required for evolution of air breathing life forms.
Eagle’s Bluff - incredible views of a shallow bay where you can see shoals of Lemon Sharks and the occasional cow-tailed stingray swimming over the sandy seabed.
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