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Lake Clifton's Thrombolites

Lake Clifton thrombolites

The stromatolites of Shark Bay, on Western Australia's north western coast, are well publicised in the tourist literature. However you don't need to go to such a remote place to see these pre-historic living rocks. Their close cousins - thrombolites - can be seen just south of Mandurah, within 100km of Perth.

In case you were wondering what these things are, both are types of rare and extremely primitive life forms. They consist of single-celled bacteria which deposit layers of silt and calcium that slowly grow into rounded rocks. Scientists believe they are the earliest form of life on earth, dating back about 3500 million years, and the origins of oxygen in the atmosphere. These relics are mostly extinct and exist only as fossils - living examples can still be found growing in just a handful of places in the world. Shark Bay is the well known Western Australian example, but Lake Clifton is more accessible.

Lake Clifton's thrombolites can be reached from either of two roads - Mount John Rd and Clifton Downs Rd. Both are turn-offs from the Old Coast Road, south of Mandurah (and south of the Dawesville Channel) but north of where the new John Forrest Highway branches off towards Perth.

A few minutes drive brings you to a parking area with toilets and signs telling you about the thrombolites and their environment, which is part of Yalgorup National Park. From there a boardwalk takes you out over the shallow lake to where the thrombolites can be viewed from many angles. And what do you see? A community of rounded rock-like structures lying just beneath the surface ... or just breaching the surface, depending on water levels. Their humble appearance gives no indication of their status as extremely rare and ancient life forms - living fossils.

The thrombolites are more exposed in the lower water levels of summer and autumn, but are still easily seen at other times. Visibility is more affected by wind - strong winds may roughen the water surface and limit the underwater view. On the other hand, wind helps keep away the mosquitoes which can be a nuisance in still weather.

Canoe Trail Friends New Email

Thanks

PEEL REGION CANOE CLUBS & LINKS

●  Mandurah Over 55s Canoe Club Inc:  The Club paddles three times a week, mainly on the estuary and rivers. Email:  greydolphin@gmail.com 

●  Mandurah Murray Vietnam Veterans’ Group: Paddles on a Thursday morning at various locations in the Peel region. All Veterans and ex service people are welcome. website: www.mmvvg.asn.au

●  Mandurah Ocean Canoe Club Inc: Competitive & recreational paddling for teams &individuals.  Contact Colin, m: 0428 468 884 or website: www.mandurahoceanclub.com.au

●  Mandurah Paddling Club Inc:  Membership:  Competitive, recreational, social and junior recreational.  Inquiries Paul, m: 0400 842 445, or website: www.mandurahpaddlingclub.org.au 

Local Canoeing/Kayaking Training

●  Fairbridge Western Australia Inc: Contact: Team Leader of Outdoor Recreation/Trainer Email: outdoor.rec@fairbridge.asn.au 

●   Kayaks-4-U  Contact: Paul on Mobile. 0419 885 710

●    Mandurah Paddling Club Contact: Paul Harding   Email. pastynchips@bigpond.com) Mobile. 0400 842 445   

● Keep up to date with: Canoeing in Western Australia go to Robyn K’s site: www.iinet.net.au/~rokhor/canoe

●  Peel Trails Group Website:  Interested in what the go is with all sorts of trails around the Peel, then visit:   www.peeltrails.com.au

PEEL REGION CANOE MAPS & GUIDES

Available free of charge at local visitor centres are the Canoe Trail Friends of Mandurah and Pinjarra Inc’s series of seven canoe guides and three companions encompassing the waterways of the Peel Regional Park

Complementing these guides are two land based Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary guides, Dolphin Trails and Tales and Birdwatching Trail Guide  for Water and  Shorebirds

For free waterproof copies of the canoe guides and companions send a self addressed DL size envelope, with stamps to the value of $1.80  (one dollar eighty) to PO Box 3188, Mandurah East, WA 6210 

All maps and guides are available online 

Http://canoetrailfriendsofmandurahandpinjarra.myclub.org.au

DEC Canoe guides/ maps:  Murray River: Pinjarra to Peel Inlet, the guide also includes Serpentine River from Riverside Gardens downstream. Available local DEC office cost $11.00. Enquiries: DEC’s, Recreation and Trails Unit on 9334 0265  

About The Friends

Environmental and community projects currently being undertaken by the Canoe Trail Friends of Mandurah and Pinjarra Inc, a ‘paddlers alliance’ include:   

● establishment of protected  locations for both migratory and residential water and shore birds in the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary

● incorporation of canoe trails in the proposed Peel Regional Park, (see PEEL REGION CANOE MAPS & GUIDES)   

●. development of canoe launch points to provide better access to our rivers and waterways,

●. preparation of submissions to local and state governments raising concerns about the environmental impact on our waterways, and

● event coordinators of the annual Peel Paddling Carnival

The Friends are members of: Peel Boating Community Group and Peel Trails Group

Membership:

The Friends would appreciate your support  by you becoming a member of the Canoe Trail Friends of Mandurah and Pinjarra Inc.

Membership is open to any person over the age of 18years The annual membership fee is $5(five dollars) Please Note: We are not a paddling club

Enquiries:  email beejays@tadaust.org.au

Friends on Facebook

facebook access is by  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Canoe-Trail-Friends-of-Mandurah-Pinjarra/135019773198972

If for some reason this link does not work go to the search bar at the top of the facebook page & type in "Canoe Trail Friends of Mandurah & Pinjarra" & follow the link.

If you are a facebook member click "like" to like us

Juanuary 2012

Birdwatching Trail Guide: Our thanks and congratulations go to both Robert for compiling our latest guide and to Maxine for assisting .

Peel Inlet & Harvey Estuary – Water & Shorebirds – Birdwatching Trail Guide

Last February we hosted a forum “Why & How” we should protect our local water and shorebirds, this guide has successfully responded to two ideas from that forum

1. Educate people -- 2. Raise the profile of the birds

Copies of the guides are available at local Visitor Centres and Libraries. A online version will soon be at www.visitmandurah.com then go to “ what to do” –“natural attractions”