Stokes Inlet facts for kids

Stokes Inlet is a special kind of water body called an inlet in Western Australia. It's located about 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Esperance. This inlet is part of Stokes National Park. It sits in a big river valley with deep water and tall sand dunes on both sides. The area around it is full of thick bushland and paperbark trees that grow right down to the water. It's a very natural place, mostly untouched by people. The ocean waves play a big role in how this inlet works, making it a wave-dominated estuary.

What is Stokes Inlet Like?

The Department of Environment and Conservation helps manage Stokes Inlet. The water that flows into the inlet comes from a large area called a catchment, which stretches over 100 kilometers (62 miles) inland. Two main rivers, the Young River and the Lort River, feed water into the inlet.

Size of the Inlet

The inlet itself is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) long and 2 kilometers (1 mile) wide. It covers an area of about 14 square kilometers (5 square miles). Each year, about 5 million cubic meters of water flow into it. The main part of the inlet is about 8.6 square kilometers (3.3 square miles). There are also areas of mudflats that are covered and uncovered by water, covering about 2 square kilometers (0.8 square miles).

The Sandbar and Water Levels

The mouth of the inlet, where it meets the sea, is in a place called Dunster Castle Bay. However, a sandbar usually blocks the mouth, cutting the estuary off from the ocean. This sandbar only opens up every few years. Because of this, the saltiness of the water (called salinity) and the water level can change a lot. They depend on how much water flows in from the rivers and how much water evaporates into the air.

Plants in Stokes Inlet

The plants that live in the water of the estuary are mostly small green algae called Polyphysa peniculus, a plant called Lamprothamnium papulosum, and a seagrass known as Ruppia megacarpa.

Along the edges of the inlet, you'll find salt water paperbarks. In the sandy areas, sedges and samphire plants are very common.

Animals in Stokes Inlet

When the sandbar opens and connects the inlet to the sea, many ocean animals come into the inlet. These include blue manna crabs, young prawns, cockles, and mussels.

Many types of fish also live in the estuary. You might find small fish like the common minnow, hardyheads, and gobies. Larger fish species like black bream and sea mullet also make their home here.