Tag: Stromatolites

The Pinnacles (Nambung National Park)

The Pinnacles - limestone structures formed naturally

The Pinnacles (part of the Nambung National Park) near Cervantes do not need introduction. It is one of the most visited places in Western Australia. Located only 2,5-hour drive from Perth along the Indian Ocean Drive, it can be just a day trip or you can take a few days to explore the area. There is a 4,5km driving trail through the desert with many parking bays to stop and enjoy the marvellous creations.

What are exactly the Pinnacles and how were they formed?

The Pinnacles are natural limestone structures formed thousands of years ago. They are of different shapes and sizes, some as high as 3 meters. Up to date scientists are still puzzled as to how the Pinnacles were formed. There are a few theories which contradict each other and little evidence to support each. The Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre within the Nambung National Park has some posters explaining different theories. One thing is clear – the Pinnacles are nature’s creations! Interestingly, the Nambung National Park near Cervantes is not the only place in Australia where the Pinnacles are found. But here there is a greatest concentration of them.

Pinnacles are photographer’s delight

Not only the Pinnacles is a very popular attraction but also one of the most photographed iconic places during the day, sunset or night. While there are some amazing pictures by professional photographers out there, here is what we’ve seen.

Pinnacles during the day

During the daytime, the light can be very harsh, unless there are some clouds which make the landscape interesting. In the absence of clouds, you will get better results when shooting closer to the end of the day, when the light is a bit softer. Irrespective of the lighting conditions, the Pinnacles, without doubt, do not fail to impress.

The Pinnacles Nambung National Park
The Pinnacles Desert in Western Australia

Pinnacles at dusk

Twilight is a magical time to take pictures. It is the time when the sky is lit with myriad of colours that change by seconds.

Beautiful sky over the Pinnacles
Pinnacles (Nambung National Park) at dusk
Sunset over the Pinnacles

Pinnacles at night

This is the most ifficult time to take pictures. But it can be quite rewarding. Just starring at the sky full of stars is already very fulfilling, when a sense of peace and quietness pervades. These pictures were taken a bit early in the evening (between 7 and 9pm). For best results, it would be better to take them around 10-11pm. Apparently, at that time you can see the Milky Way in a shape of an emu. But our kids were too tired and wanted to go back to campground, so these are the shots I managed.

The Pinnacles at night
The Milky Way rising above the Pinnacles
The Pinnacles at low light

Lake Thetis

Part of Nambung National Park is Lake Thetis. It is a small saline lake and is one of only a few places in Western Australia where stromatolites are found. Stromatolites and their cousins thrombolites are the oldest living lifeforms on the planet. Although the stromatolites in Hamlin Pool at Shark Bay are more impressive, Lake Thetis is still worth a visit on your way to the Pinnacles.

Stromatolites up close in a saline lake
Stromatolites at Lake Thetis

There is a nice but short walk around the lake and you can see many birds resting on stromatolites. People are not allowed to touch or walk on stromatolites but this rule doesn’t apply to birds. 😊

Birds sitting on a stromatolite
Stromatolites and birds at the background

Where can you stay nearby?

There are plenty of accomodation in Cervantes and Jurien Bay, which includes caravan parks, as well as hotels. But if you are after something more simple and nature based, we recommend Karda campground. Although it is a bit further away from Cervantes but it is close to Lesueur National Park, which is worth exploring.

Good to know

There is entry fee of $15 per vehicle (as of April 2023) to Nambung National Park and no dogs are allowed.

While you are at the Pinnacles Desert, watch out for a family of emus.

Shell beach at Goulet Bluff and Stromatolites

Shell Beach at Goulet Bluff

Beautiful, diverse and unique Shark Bay

Deciding to camp free meant that we had no bookings (for some places) and could change our plans as we went along. This was our fifth or sixth trip to Exmouth (having been there so many times I lost count 😊) and we always stopped at Denham on the way there. This time I decided that it was enough to see the same place, however, the nostalgia about the Shark Bay area was there. After all, it is such a unique place that has always been drawing my attention. It is not a surprise. Listed as a world heritage place since 1991, Shark Bay satisfies all four of the criteria for the natural heritage values:

  1. Natural beauty, which includes diversity of landscapes (peninsulas, islands and bays), rare, unique and abundant flora and fauna.
  2. Earth’s evolutionary history represented by famous Hamelin Pool Stromatolites.
  3. Ecological processes seen in the largest seagrass meadow in the world with the highest species diversity assembled in one place.
  4. Shark Bay is home to many endangered plants and animals that still survive.
Beautiful it is indeed!

The Shark Bay World Heritage Area covers 2.2 million hectares and has a coastline stretching for 1500 kilometres. About 65 percent is marine waters. It is located 800km north of Perth on Australia’s most westerly point.

Getting there

Camping in wilderness, in the unique place looked very attractive to us. So, we called the Shark Bay Tourist Centre in Denham and bought a permission (it costs $15 per night per vehicle) to camp in the national park. By the way, you can only camp there for one night but it was all we needed, as we had to be in Exmouth by a certain date.

Turn off to Goulet Bluff from Shark Bay Road

Turning off from Shark Bay Road onto the dirt road, we drove for 2 km or so. When we nearly arrived the destination according to google map app, we approached a fork, wondering where to go from there. Expecting to see campers or at least some visible traces of the campground and not willing to tow a caravan to a place where we could not turn around, I left the car and walked for a while up the hill. Still no sign of people or campground – just a beautiful and peaceful view of the bay.

A car with two young girls stopped nearby. Hoping they might give us a clue, we asked them for directions to the campground. It turned out they were just looking around and knew not more than we did, however, they were helpful by driving ahead and then coming back telling us that the place ahead looked like a camping spot!

Shell beach at Goulet Bluff

So, we found our perfect camping spot right on the beach. Shell beach. It is not the famous Shell Beach you can read about in the travelling brochure. Goulet Bluff is 10 km away from Shell Beach and it is on the opposite side of the Shark Baby Road when you drive to Denham. Being in proximity to Shell Beach, Goulet Bluff is basically a continuation of it (it is said that Shell Beach stretches for 120 kilometres), so it shares the same unique look and feel of it. Shell Beach (and so is Goulet Bluff as part of it) is one of only a handful of places on earth where shells replace beach sand in such a picturesque way. Interestingly, the shells are from just one type of animal, the Shark Bay cockle, making the beach truly unique.

Shark Bay cockle shells at Goulet Bluff

Camping experience at Goulet Bluff

We set up our caravan and awning. Kids helped with the pegs (the younger one, Ilusha, was mostly playing with them 😊) and then we all had a relaxing afternoon.

Swimming in very warm bay water, playing with the shells, taking pictures, reading or writing – each one of us was occupied diffferently.

As the day was nearing to its end, we noticed the tidal waters getting closer to our caravan. Luckily, we set up quite a distance from the shore line and were separated by a small reef from the ocean which formed a little lagoon. By the time, the tide was at its highest, what was a little lagoon merged with the rest of the oceanic waters and shore line separating the lagoon and the ocean was no longer visible.

High tide. The water was getting closer

Our (the only) neighbour a few hundred meters away was not so lucky. He had to interrupt his fishing in order to move the caravan closer to us, as the water got to the wheels of the caravan.

Sunset at Goulet Bluff

The following day was Easter Sunday, which the kids very much looked forward to. In fact, easter chocolate eggs and bunnies was what they were looking forward to.😊.

Kids were happy to receive their Easter chocolates

A couple of last pictures and it is time to move on.

Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool

On the way out we visited Hamelin Pool Stromatolites. Shark Bay is one of only two places in the world where living marine stromatolites exist (the other place being the Bahamas). The living fossils that build Stromatolites in the highly saline and very warm waters of Hamelin Pool show us what marine ecosystems would have looked like 3 billion years ago. This is one of the reasons for Shark Bay’s World Heritage status.

Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool

Not only this place is beautiful and unique, it is also full of history. There are a number of interpretive signs along the boardwalk where you can read and learn how stromatolites were formed. It is definitely a place worth a visit (it is better to visit early in the morning as it gets very hot there especially in warmer months).

Stromatolites: Below and Above. Spot the fish.