Shell Beach (Western Australia) facts for kids
Shell Beach is a truly unique place in Western Australia. It is part of the amazing Shark Bay area. This beach is special because it is not made of sand, but entirely of tiny shells! You can find it about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south-east of a town called Denham.
A Beach Made of Shells!
Shell Beach is found on the north-eastern side of a narrow strip of land called the Taillefer Isthmus. It stretches along a bay called L'Haridon Bight. This incredible beach is covered with shells for about 60 kilometers (37 miles). The shells are piled up to a depth of 7 to 10 meters (23 to 33 feet)! It is one of only two beaches in the whole world made completely from shells.
Why So Many Shells?
The beach got its name because of the huge number of shells from a type of cockle called Fragum erugatum. The seawater in L'Haridon Bight is very salty. This high saltiness is due to the shape of the land and the local weather. Because the water is so salty, the cockles can grow and multiply a lot. Their natural enemies, which usually eat them, cannot live well in such salty water. This means the cockles have no one to stop them from growing in huge numbers.
What is Coquina?
Over time, these shells have been pressed together to form a type of limestone. This special rock is known as coquina. Before Shark Bay became a World Heritage Site, people used to dig up the coquina. They used it to build many of the buildings you can see in the town of Denham. Being a World Heritage Site means the area is now protected because it is very important and special to the world.
More Information
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Shark Bay, Western Australia
