Hamelin Pool Stromatolites, Hamelin Pool (Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve), Shark Bay Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Hamelin Pool Stromatolites	- not defined -
Hamelin Pool (Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve)	Nature Reserve
Shark Bay Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Stromatolites and thrombolites have been on the planet for 3500 million years. They contain a complex community of bacteria and algae, including cyanobacteria, recognised as the first life form on the planet. The bacteria trap sediments with mucus to form rock like structures of precipitated aragonite. These form communities or 'reefs' of structures, the largest and most varied in the world at Hamelin Pool. These grow at about 0.5 mm a year.

Stromatolites here were discovered by surveyors working for an oil exploration company in 1956. The region is now an UNESCO World Heritage Area. The water is hypersaline due to a sandbank to the north restricting seawater flow, and the high temperatures of the area. This is good for the stromatolities which can prosper without competition from other life forms that cannot cope with the salinity.

There are three types of stromatolites here. Sub-tidal which are always covered by water, secondly 1.5 metre high inter-tidal, which are exposed at high tide, and lastly a tidal area showing fat black mud mats that are actually living stromatolites.

Visitors can view the stromatolites via a boardwalk. A telegraph museum and shell quarry are nearby.

Stromatolites and thrombolites are found in only a few places in the world. Western Australia has the most. Apart from Hamelin Pool they can be seen at Lake Thetis near Cervantes, Lake Richmond at Rockingham, the Pink Lake Esperance, Government House Lake at Rottnest Island, Sea Cliffs Augusta, Lake Preston Yalgorup National Park, and Lake Clifton south of Mandurah.

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