Shell bricks

Building material
Tiny shells make solid houses

The still and hypersaline waters of Shark Bay’s Shell Beach provide just the right environment for these tiny white shells from the fragum cockle to thrive. Trillions of these tiny shells line the beach here in deposits up to 10 metres deep. Back in the early 1900s Shark Bay residents would come to the beach to cut out heavily compacted shell bricks to build houses in nearby Denham. While most of these buildings no longer stand, you can still see examples in Denham’s Anglican Church and Old Pearler Restaurant today.

Available at:

Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery and Visitor Centre

A rich and fascination cultural and natural heritage revealed

Few places in Australia could boast the rich and fascinating cultural and natural heritage of Shark Bay. This stunningly beautiful and remote peninsula boasts more than 30,000 years of Indigenous...

Address:

53 Knight Tce
Denham WA 6537
Australia

Open Hours
Mon to Fri 9am - 4.30pm; weekend hours vary seasonally

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While you're in the area

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Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre
Attraction
Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre
Designed to showcase the significance and history of the Shark Bay region...
Shark Bay District, 53 Knight Terrace, Denham, WA 6537
Ocean Park Aquarium
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Ocean Park Aquarium
Ocean Park Aquarium is an award-winning, eco-friendly aquarium located on...
1 Ocean Park Road, Shark Bay, WA 6537
Eagle Bluff
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Eagle Bluff
Eagle Bluff features a spectacularly high cliff that overlooks the Denham...
Hamelin Road, Denham, WA 6537
RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort
Accommodation
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Monkey Mia Road, Monkey Mia, WA 6537