Living Stones from the Dawn of Time
Tucked away in Western Australia’s Yalgorup National Park, within the quiet shallows of Lake Clifton, lies something truly extraordinary — almost more science fiction than fact. These knobbly, unassuming formations are **thrombolites**: living, rock-like structures built by ancient microbial communities.
What makes them so special? Thrombolites are incredibly rare! They’re among the few surviving examples on Earth of life forms similar to those that began oxygenating our planet billions of years ago. According to wiki, unlike the more well-known stromatolites, which grow in tidy layers, thrombolites have a "clotted, chaotic internal structure" — a bit like my brain on most days! They’re messy, ancient, and utterly fascinating.
As we stood on the boardwalk, watching the sun filter through the nutrient-rich waters, which is just the way these microorganisms like it, we felt small. I was staring at the descendants of the planet’s earliest architects of breathable air, still quietly persisting in a world that has changed beyond recognition.
They’ve survived for millennia, but they’re fragile — vulnerable to rising salinity, pollution, and, sadly, careless human behaviour. Just last year, they suffered significant damage after many visitors, in pursuit of the aurora australis, wandered into restricted areas. The result? Extensive harm to the thrombolites and their delicate microbial mats. Makes you almost ashamed to be a photographer! I’ll be polite and refrain from calling them what I really think of them ..... *deep breaths*
I consider ourselves lucky, truly lucky, to see them still hanging on, whispering stories from the origins of life - rare, ancient & alive. I hope more people come to understand their importance, and that these incredible rare living fossils not only survive but thrive.
Sorry for the rant. Have a great end to the week! Thanks kindly for any likes/comments, they are always appreciated.
Waterscape 38/100 in 2025
Living Stones from the Dawn of Time
Tucked away in Western Australia’s Yalgorup National Park, within the quiet shallows of Lake Clifton, lies something truly extraordinary — almost more science fiction than fact. These knobbly, unassuming formations are **thrombolites**: living, rock-like structures built by ancient microbial communities.
What makes them so special? Thrombolites are incredibly rare! They’re among the few surviving examples on Earth of life forms similar to those that began oxygenating our planet billions of years ago. According to wiki, unlike the more well-known stromatolites, which grow in tidy layers, thrombolites have a "clotted, chaotic internal structure" — a bit like my brain on most days! They’re messy, ancient, and utterly fascinating.
As we stood on the boardwalk, watching the sun filter through the nutrient-rich waters, which is just the way these microorganisms like it, we felt small. I was staring at the descendants of the planet’s earliest architects of breathable air, still quietly persisting in a world that has changed beyond recognition.
They’ve survived for millennia, but they’re fragile — vulnerable to rising salinity, pollution, and, sadly, careless human behaviour. Just last year, they suffered significant damage after many visitors, in pursuit of the aurora australis, wandered into restricted areas. The result? Extensive harm to the thrombolites and their delicate microbial mats. Makes you almost ashamed to be a photographer! I’ll be polite and refrain from calling them what I really think of them ..... *deep breaths*
I consider ourselves lucky, truly lucky, to see them still hanging on, whispering stories from the origins of life - rare, ancient & alive. I hope more people come to understand their importance, and that these incredible rare living fossils not only survive but thrive.
Sorry for the rant. Have a great end to the week! Thanks kindly for any likes/comments, they are always appreciated.
Waterscape 38/100 in 2025