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Hamelin Pool StromatolitesHamelin Pool, located 90 kilometressouth east of Denham, is one of only afew places on earth where living marinestromatolites (the oldest living organismson the planet) exist. These rocky lookinglumps in the water resemble the oldest andsimplest forms of life on earth dating back3.5 billion years. The water at HamelinPool is twice as saline as usual sea waterdue to sea grass banks situated acrossthe bay’s entrance and rapid evaporationfrom the shallow water. Stromatolites arecomposed of bacteria and algae andanimals that feed off these substancescannot tolerate such saline conditions.As a result stromatolites can grow here,undisturbed. Most stromatolites areextremely slow growing. Those in HamelinPool grow at a maximum of 0.3mm a year,so those which are up to a metre high arehundreds, if not thousands of years old.There is an excellent viewing platform outover the water and interpretive displays atthe site and at the Hamelin Pool TelegraphStation nearby which houses a smallmuseum.Shell BeachThis unique beach located approximately50 kilometres south east of Denham ismade up of countless tiny cockle shellslayered up to ten metres deep andstretching for over 120 kilometres. Theshells were once quarried and used tobuild the walls of buildings in the area,some of which can still be seen today.On a still day, the ocean at Shell Beachtransforms into a palette of the mostintense greens and blues.Eagle BluffBottle Bay, Francois Peron National ParkJust 20 kilometres south of Denham isEagle Bluff. The scenic viewpoint featuresa 100-metre walkway along the top ofa cliff face. The views from this vantagepoint are breathtaking and sharks,dugongs, rays and large fi sh are regularvisitors in the shallow waters below.Peron Homestead PrecinctSituated in the Francois Peron NationalPark, the Peron Homestead Precinct offersa taste of life from the 1950s when thepark was a working sheep station. A selfguided walk around the precinct exploresthe history of the area, visiting the shearingshed, shearer’s quarters and stock yards.Interpretive signs explain the station’sinteresting history and an interpretivecentre depicts stories of Indigenousinhabitants, European colonisation andcurrent day conservation programs suchas Project Eden. There is a natural hottub fed from an artesian bore near thehomestead that originally supplied water tothe station’s stock and is now popular withvisitors. The nearby barbecue and lawn isa great spot for picnics. Peron Homesteadis accessible by two wheel drive vehicles.World Heritage DriveFollow the interpretive signage along theWorld Heritage drive to learn about thisamazing area and how it satisfi es all fourof the natural criteria to become heritagelisted. The World Heritage drive starts atthe Overlander Roadhouse on the NorthWest Coastal Highway and continues 180kilometres through to Monkey Mia.Denham foreshoreShark Bay World Heritage Discovery and Visitor CentreEagle Bluff, Shark BayShell Beachaustraliascoralcoast.com | Page 55