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Lake Richmond Thrombolites

Thrombolites are one type of microbialite, rock like structures, built by micro organisma. Fossil microbialites represent the earliest record of life on earth, some are 3.5 billion years old. Thrombolites have a clotted internal structure rather than a layered structure like the better known ' Stromatolites' found at Hamlin Pool in Shark Bay. Micobialites are found in a few areas of the world including the Bahamas, Bermuda and are particularly well represented in Western Australia. At Lake Richmond, in Rockingham Western Australia, fresh groundwater flows in, around the thrombolites, providing their building materials including calcium and carbonates. These thrombolites are classified as a 'critically endangered ecological community' because they are subject to the pressures of urban development.

In 1997 Kwinana, Rockingham, Mandurah branch of the WA Naturalists Club, the Department of Conservation and land Management, Dr Linda Moore ( Microbialite Research Scientist ) and Rockingham City Council and others joined together in a Recovery Team to continue management and monitoring of the endangered thrombolites.

You can visit Shark Bay Stromatolites here

With Thanks

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