Shell Beach - Hamelin Pool

Shell Beach is in the Shark Bay World Heritage area of Western Australia. This is quite unique and needs to be experienced. Trillions of tiny shells known as the Hamelin Cockle (coquina bivalve shells) have built up to 10 metres deep and one kilometre wide, forming a beach made entirely of shells. 

The water is hypersaline and has much more salt than normal - you float easily if you swim but come out of the water covered in salt. The sea grass around the bays contributes to this build up of salt in the water close to shore and the cockles thrive in these conditions - their natural enemies cannot survive. The shells are bleached white from the sun contrasting against the beautiful shades of green and blue in the water of the Bay.   

Shell Beach is about 45 kilometres south of Denham and on the western side of the peninsula - well sign posted with plenty of parking. Shell Beach at Shark Bay is one of only such beaches in the world - a must to visit when you are holidaying at Shark Bay. 

Over the years the rain waters runs through the shells on the beach and dissolves some of the calcium carbonate causing them to bind together - this can been seen at the Shell Block Quarry, Hamelin Pool where blocks were cut from the fused shells and used in buildings around Shark Bay.