Hamelin Pool - Stromatolites

Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station and Shell Block Quarry
Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station was built in 1884 on the Perth to Roebourne telegraph line. The original building is now a historic museum. The nearby quarry has provided compacted shell blocks for use in the building of station homesteads, civic buildings and the landmark Old Pearler restaurant in Denham.  For access to the quarry enquire at Hamelin Pool Caravan Park. (Stromatolites - listed under Shark Bay Marine Park).

HAMELIN POOL
Evidence of the beginnings of life on Earth can be found in saline waters of Hamelin Pool - the famous stromatolites.  Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve is one of the only two places in the world where living marine stromatolites are known to oocur and it is the only place where they can be easily seen from shore. Microscopic organisims - invisible to the human eye - concentrate and recycle nutrients which combine with sedimentary grains to form domes of rock - like materials known as stromatolites.

Stromatolites first colonised the shallow waters of Hamelin Pool a recent 2000 - 3000 years ago, but the organisims built them were the earliest forms of life on earth, with a lineage dating back 3500 years.  Visitors can find the stromatolites at the end of Hamelin Pool Road - just 29km from the Junction of the North West Coastal Highway and the Shark Bay Road.  A wooden boardwalk at Hamelin Pool allows people to view the stromatolites and is a good way to find out about the beginnings of life on this earth. There is an interesting museum and tearooms at the near by Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station.