Hamelin Pool tourism boardwalk viewing stromatolites damaged by cyclone Seroja yet to be repaired two years on

A boardwalk allowing visitors a view of stromatolite formations has been left in a broken state for more than two years following cyclone Seroja damage, leaving the complex ecosystem closed off to visitors. In the shallow waters of Hamelin Pool, 100km south-east of Denham in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, lies the most diverse and abundant examples of stromatolites in the world. It’s one of only two places in the world to boast living marine stromatolites, or “living fossils”. Stromatolites are rock-like structures built by micro-organisms, mainly blue-green algae. In April 2021, a timber boardwalk built in 1996 to allow tourists a close up view of the stromatolites without affecting the surrounding environment was damaged by Seroja. Since then, the 200m boardwalk has been closed and the beach left fenced off, preventing visitors from viewing the rarity. John Evans frequently visits the Shark Bay World Heritage area and expected the repairs to be completed in mid-2022, but he said it was disappointing to see no progress. “There’s not even any signs on the entrance coming into the stromatolites that you can’t access, walk out and have a look. It’s a prime tourism attraction for those travelling north and heading out to Shark Bay,” he said. “I’ve been going up and down this coastline for the last 30 years and it disappoints me, you know, the cyclone is one thing but not doing the repairs is another, and now there’s the prospect it could get hung up with cultural heritage laws which could then delay the repairs. “It seems totally wrong and nothing appears to be being done.” Sources fear if the site isn’t repaired soon it could risk being listed as a World Heritage in Danger site, similar to the Great Barrier Reef. A spokesperson from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said a structural engineering assessment found the boardwalk should be replaced rather than repaired to minimise short and long-term environmental impacts on the stromatolite environment and to mitigate the risk of future storm damage. “DBCA is committed to the replacement of the boardwalk and continued to explore funding opportunities to support its replacement,” she said. “DBCA will continue to meet its obligations under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act and all other relevant legislation, and this is not expected to impact delivery of this project.” “While visitor access to the site is restricted, the best time to view the stromatolites from the beach is at low tide, and visitors are encouraged to use binoculars to get the best view.” The Shark Bay World Heritage Area was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1991 for all four of the natural Outstanding Universal Value criteria, with the stromatolite environment included. DBCA has yet to provide an estimated time for repair, or any associated costs, as they continue to explore their options.