Shark Bay is testimony to the wonders of the natural world. So significant is its natural beauty that Shark Bay earned a prestigious World Heritage listing in 1991.

It is one of only 16 sites worldwide that satisfy all four criteria for World Heritage listing, having important evolutionary and biological histories, unique formations and natural habitats where threatened species survive.

1. Earth's History

"The place must contain outstanding examples representing the major stages of the earth's evolutionary history."

Shark Bay contains the most diverse and abundant examples of stromatolites in the world. Hamelin Pool and L'haridon Bight showcase some of the most beautiful displays of these stromatolites.

2. Ongoing Evolution

"The place must contain outstanding examples representing significant on-going geological processes, biological evolution and human interaction with the natural environment."

Shark Bay has a unique system of differing salinity levels (oceanic, metahaline and hypersaline) creating three bodies of water with distinct marine ecosystems.

Shark Bay has the largest and most species of seagrass meadows in the world. Providing food and nursery areas for many species, these seagrasses play a significant and continuing role in the evolution of Shark Bay's marine environments.

3. Natural Beauty

"The place must contain unique, rare or superlative natural phenomena formations or features of exceptional natural beauty."

In addition to the Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool and the spectacularly wide and sweeping shell beaches at L'haridon Bight, Shark Bay has exceptional coastal scenery at Zuytdorp Cliffs, Dirk Hartog Island, Peron Peninsula, and Heirisson and Bellefin prongs.

Shark Bay's land and marine life, coupled with the extensive and diverse array of wildflowers, is a superlative phenomenon.

4. Threatened Species

"The place must contain the most important and significant habitats where threatened species of plants and animals of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science and conservation still survive."

Shark Bay has at least 51 vascular plant species unique to the area, 11 of which occur in the Tamala sand plain and coastal areas.

Five of the 26 endangered mammals in Australia exist on Bernier and Dorre Island, and are being introduced into Shark Bay and elsewhere.

Shark Bay is also home to six endemic bird species, eight endemic reptile species and the endangered loggerhead turtle uses Shark Bay as its main nesting site.

For more information on Shark Bay's World Heritage listing click here. (link to www.sharkbay.org)