A boardwalk allows visitors to view the stromatolites without harming them . Due to damage from Cyclone Seroja , the boardwalk is currently closed , scheduled to be rebuilt in 2023 .
Also in the Hamelin Bay area is the historic Old Telegraph Station , which opened in 1884 . Here , one can see where the ground of tiny , solidified shells , compacted over centuries , has been quarried into blocks and used as building bricks . Many of the homesteads in the area were made from these shell bricks , though this practice has stopped for conservation reasons .
The Hamelin Bay Caravan Park is a pleasant place to spend a night or two , especially once the boardwalk is open again .
Shark Bay is simply beautiful .
There are two ways to explore Shark Bay : you can take the easy , sealed road reaching along the east coast of the marine park from Hamlin to Denham and then across to Monkey Mia , and / or you can take the challenging way west of Hamlin to Edel Land National Park ( proposed ), Dirk Hartog Island National Park and / or Francois Peron National Park north of Denham .
All three parks require a 4WD with high clearance , recovery gear and an air-compressor to re-inflate tyres . Be prepared with all supplies ; tents or single-axle offroad camper trailers only . Note that while some maps indicate there is camping and caravan storage at Tamara Station , this facility is closed for the foreseeable future ; the same applies for Carrarang Station .
You can leave a van behind at Hamelin Pool Caravan Park or Hamelin Outback Station Stay . Expect 140km of unsealed road with 30km of a single-lane track through sand dunes leading to the highlights of Edel and Steep Point . You will need to reduce your tyre pressure at the same place you pay your park entry fee .
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