We wrenched ourselves away from Monkey Mia basking in sunshine, to head further south to Kalbarri. The journey was very interesting with lovely wildflowers (all in bloom) on the road side and we narrowly missed getting a photo of an Emu with her five young Emus. They shifted sharpish when Hilda approached!
We also called in at the Hamelin Pool Stromatolites ( just as we left the Shark Bay World Heritage Area). These strange phenomena are in one of only two locations in the world (the other being Bermuda). These living marine Stromatolites are the oldest living organisms on the planet. They are over 3.5 billion years old. The unique saline environment of this area protects them as they are formed by layers of bacteria and algae trapping layers of sediment growing to form rocky platforms. When they dry out they die and leave black crusty rock platforms. The living ones lie in the shallow water as small towers protected by the intense salinity of the sea. Absolutely amazing! Their location was so quiet and tranquil, all we could hear was the water bubbling nothing else. We walked on a raised boardwalk suspended over the water so that we could see them at close quarters.
Dead Stromatolites
Living Stromatolites
Karen at the Hamelin Pool Stromatolite boardwalk
Looking at the Stromatolites from the raised boardwalk
Wildflowers on the road to Kalbarri
Where's those Emus!