An online visitor's guide to Western Australia's parks, reserves and other recreation areas.
Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve 
Hamelin Pool stromatolites at low tide Photo - Bob Burne
Boardwalk
Marine stromatolites
Stromatolites
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Western Australia
Introduction:
Hamelin Pool is one of only two places in the world with living marine stromatolites, or "living fossils". It also has the distinction of being Western Australia's only marine nature reserve.
Stromatolites are able to survive in the area because Hamelin Pool's water is twice as saline as normal sea water and seagrasses and many other forms of life cannot survive there.
The stromatolites are one of the most important features of the Shark Bay World Heritage area. They look like rocky lumps strewn in the shallows but are actually built by living organisms too small for the human eye to see. Within the structures are communities of diverse inhabitants with population densities of 3000 million individuals per square metre! The organisms use sediment and organic material to build stromatolites up to 1.5 metres high - up to 10 million times their size. Because they grow very slowly, a metre-high stromatolite could be about 2000 years old.
When the Shark Bay stromatolites were discovered by geologist Phillip Playford in 1956, they were the first growing examples ever recorded of structures, found fossilised in very old rocks, that had puzzled geologists for more than a century. The living microbes that built the stromatolites are similar to those found in 3500 million year old rocks, which are the earliest record of life on Earth.
A wooden boardwalk at Hamelin Pool allows people to view the stromatolites without damaging them. It incorporates informative panels that give visitors a fascinating insight into the formation and lifestyle of the stromatolites and is a good way to find out about the beginnings of life of Earth.
Find out more about the formation of Hamelin Pool and its stromatolites .
Where is it?: 105 kilometres from Denham or 35 kilometres from the Overlander Roadhouse.
Travelling time: The reserve is about an hour's drive from Denham and 30 minutes from the Overlander Roadhouse.
Access: The 1270 square kilometre Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve includes all land and water below the high tide mark including the stromatolites and boardwalk. The adjacent Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station and all its facilities are part of a privately run business. Fees apply for camping there.
Best season: The best time to visit is between June and October, when winds are generally lightest and the temperature is in the mid-20s. Temperatures can be extremely hot in the summer months.
What to see and do: Walk the stromatolite boardwalk and learn about the beginnings of life on Earth. Swimming is not permitted at Hamelin Pool to protect the stromatolites. The visitor site is adjacent to the historic Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station, which is now a museum, caravan park and cafe.
Facilities: The marine nature reserve is a day use area only. At the adjacent Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station there are tearooms, a campground and an interesting museum. Food, souvenirs and other merchandise can be purchased there. There is no fuel or motel accommodation. A full range of facilities and accommodation are available at Denham and Monkey Mia.
Extra facilities:
