Stromatolites and camping at Hamelin Pool

Stromatolites have been around for 3,500 million years (or at leat 6000 since creation)

Carnarvon Saturday morning was hot and sunny again. For $2 we could wash the car as the town had lots of water from the underground Gascoyne River. Cleaned the car in and out removing lots of red dust and droppings from birds, kangaroos, emus, bats and probably crocodiles. Used the touch up paint for the first time after translating the german instructions. Very VW. Car looked fantastic at last.

Into Carnarvon where the waterfront looked delightful, like Blakeney with palm trees. Youngmi not interested so I promised her a treat. She didn’t believe it as we drove 3kms from town across desert. There behind the railway museum was the one mile jetty. Youngmi recovered from the sight of the railway museum and sprang out to start the walk. She loves jetties and seeing fish. It was $5 to walk along to pay for repairs to the 120 year old wooden structure. A lot more repairs needed. We saw dolphins and a manta ray but missed the shark people had seen. A cute little train ran along but we passed on that delight.

Canarvon pier with couple we met in Wyndham

Some of the pier supports were past their best

2pm we started the drive to Monkey Mia. 380kms so unlikely before dark.33degs as we headed south. Desert then low hills. Overland roadhouse was good and we enjoyed a pie while watching Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide in the AFL semi final. 35kms further we came to Hamelin Pool caravan site and Stromatolite viewing. First impression of the site was run down. Owner Trisha very friendly and I booked in. She came from near Wolverhampton and had ended up in this remote, harsh place. Her son and an older guy were seated near the door. The older guy then appeared at the back and told Youngmi he was the brother of the guy at the front. Youngmi looking unhappy. The BBQ area is the original camel shed from 1884.Great shop and café at the office but a bit dark and selling old clothes and older sexy underwear. Youngmi more unhappy. Cooking dinner in the camel shed we met Howard and Jan from Perth. Jan explained she was not impressed when first arrived but loved the people. Youngmi happier and tells Dave he fits in here. Dave agrees as the place is full of character. It was a telegraph station in 1884 on a line from Albany to Broome when it must have been so remote. (The telegraph was apparently used in one of the moon landings when the connection to the space dish at Canarvon was out of action for 4 hours-probably to ask if they had camels on the moon).

Hamelin Pool caravan park-camel shed BBQ

Tea garden at campground

Very good nights sleep. Peaceful as. Sunday morning we walked 500m to see the stromatolites. Oldest life form known on earth. Go back 3,500million years and exist in the very salty waters of Hamelin Pool. They are bacteria using carbon and sun from the atmosphere to grow, diversify then develop stone cores. Even older than the sexy underwear in the tea room.

Stromatolites

From the stromatalites the path went along the coast made of compacted shells. Few things can survive in the super salty water but the shell creatures are one. There was a shell stone quarry were stone for the bildings at the campground was quarried.

Antarctica or birds in the salty froth at Hamelin Pool

Shell stone quarry

Shell stone

Shell from stone

A comfy chair on the walk back to campground

Had another chat to Trisha were she confirmed what we thought that it is very hard running the campground. Most drinking water has to be bought though she expected rain that day.We haven’t seen rain for 3 months, well you will today. Driving towards Denham it began to pour.

Pub lunch where we again met Howard and Jan. Very pleasant particularly as it was like John o Groats outside windy and raining. Drove to Monkey Mia but even more rain. Back to Denham and found a good comfy unit for $85 on the caravan park. A bed at last. 15 degs outside, pouring , windy. TV said 24 degs and sunny in Melbourne. First time for 3 months we were in the wrong place.