Eighty Mile Beach: looking for shells

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Eighty Mile Beach is a long stretch of sand that spans much of the coast between Cape Missiessy and Cape Keraudren in Western Australia. Between the towns of Port Hedland and Broome. This beach represents the meeting point between the Great Sandy Desert and the Indian Ocean. Here, in fact, the desert reaches the waters of the Indian ocean.

SPECTACULAR SHELLS

It is a beautiful and very long stretch of beach that stretches over 220 km of coastline. Eighty Mile Beach is a white silica sand beach about 100 meters wide, on which thousands of shells arrive, transported by the waves of the ocean. The collection of shells on this beach is a daily ritual especially during low tide.

On this beach, unlike other places in Australia, there are no restrictions on collecting shells. The variety of shapes, sizes and colors of the shells found here is truly amazing. The beach is also an important nesting site for sea turtles. Here, Australian flatback sea turtle nest, a species typical of the seas in front of Australia.

The beach and the lake areas located in its vicinity such as the Mandora Salt Marsh are very important resting places for seabirds and waders. Thousands of migratory birds flock here during their annual migration. This is in fact the most important area for waders in the north-west of Australia, it is particularly important as a southern landing for migratory birds. In the waters in front of the beach in the months between June and October, whales are often seen.

A campsite and caravan park is located opposite the beach, at Wallal Downs, which is 245 km north of Port Hedland and 365 km south of Broome. Another alternative to staying near this immense beach are the rooms and apartments of Pardoo Station. An Australian station located just north of Port Hedland.

This post is also available in: Deutsch