Lap Around Australia : Hamelin Pool

Hamelin Pool and the stromatolites

We left Carnarvon at around 1030 after waiting for Karen to go to the hospital for the last of her serial triponin (cardiac enzymes) levels. She seems well again today as her heart has settled back into its normal rhythm. The nurse at ED informed Karen that the blood work looks okay. We're off!

Our first stop of the day was at Gladstone Lookout, a viewing point between Carnarvon and the Overlander roadhouse, just off the main highway. We had been driving through very desolate country even though we were quite close to the coast, and from this viewing point up on a ridge you could see the water in the distance and a vista that looked reminiscent of the Arizona Desert - as Ian put it, this must be where they filmed the moon landings! We stopped for quite a while to take in the gorgeous views.

After another brief stop at the Overlander Roadhouse for lunch and to re-fuel, we headed to Hamelin Pool, which is about 90 km east of Denham. The Hamelin Pool Caravan Park is set on the site of the old Overland Telegraph relay station and was once part of a larger pastoral holding. It is well located for our purposes, being only a 400 metre walk away from the world famous stromatolites.

What, I hear you ask, are stromatolites? They are the oldest and largest living fossils on Earth and are part of the Earth's early evolutional history, dating back 3.5 billion years. The marine stromatolites found in Hamelin Pool are considered to be the best examples found in the world. They are mats of symbiotic bacteria and algae which grow successfully here because the seawater is twice as saline as usual seawater, with the result they have few predators. Some of these bacteria and algae excrete oxygen and were instrumental - three and a half billion years ago - in creating the oxygenated atmosphere that we have today. The salinity is due to a bar across the entrance to the bay restricting out flow of water, and also due to rapid evaporation from shallow water. They grow at 0.3mm per year and some here are up to a metre high. Fascinating stuff!

We walked out to the walkway, past a shell stone quarry which supplied blocks used for building materials around this area (at least in the past it was). The tiny shells which can be up to 10 metres deep bond together under pressure to form quite hard rock called coquina.

There is a wooden jetty and walkway built out over the stromatolites, so that people don't trample them but can get a good view. We were rather surprised to see small fish swimming in the salty rock pools and they've obviously found a way to adapt. On top of that there were cormorants feasting on fish in the water just offshore from the jetty. Also there were lots of Chinese tourists staying at the caravan park to see this amazing geological and biological feature, but dressed for the city rather than the bush! Some were wearing stockings and high heels and lurex dresses with lots of bling. We felt seriously under-dressed in our shorts and thongs.

We enjoyed our stay here, even though the park and amenities were a bit tired. The history of the place made it a must see destination.