I’m not going to labour this post with all the technical details of how stromatolites are formed and what they comprise. Suffice to say they’re mats of g-zillions of microscopic lifeforms living harmoniously as a community in a hyper saline environment. The Hamelin Pool stromatolites are considered the most diverse and abundant in the world. It is this fact – not their fairly ordinary appearance – which gets some people very excited. Of course, seeing an example of the Earth’s earliest ecosystem is a privilege but I was much more enchanted by my first sighting of a White-winged wren. Seeing it in the same bush as a variegated male wren, who was defending his patch from a lizard, made Hamelin Pool all the more special. My sister Janet knows only too well that I’m a sucker for colourful and/or active wildlife. Neither are attributes that can be easily ascribed to stromatolites. My viewing of the microbial mats in their layered towers – possibly colourful and active if viewed through a microscope – lasted twice as long as most other visitors, so I feel I gave them their due.
parrygraphs 
so these rock-like outcrops are stomatolites and alive….looks like the rocky beach on Marino Beach. What a mind tease to think they are alive. Love it…..
A seething mass of symbiotic relationships. Though some has turned to stone so not entirely sure where all the action takes place.
Wow, I am impressed with your geological knowledge/vocabulary. Anything which contains g-zillions (is that a real word?) of microscopic life forms living as a community in a hyper saline community has to be a miraculous thing – wish us humans could do that – maybe we cant because we are living in a highly acidic environment!!
Lovin your blogs – can’t believe the places you are finding.
xx
I cheat and take photos of the info signs! But, to my credit, I don’t then copy them wholesale, just use as a reminder. G-zillions is my word, as far as I know. And no, WE DO NOT NEED g-zillions of humans, but we do need the living sustainably bit. Oh Leena, Leena wait till you get over to this coast. You and Nick will loooooooove it – I’m making the assumption that you haven’t been before? You guys are so already into the laid back beach living lifestyle that you will take it to a whole other level than me. I might come back next year. Will you be ready to join in by then? xkx