The 7 Most Impressive Rock Formations in
Australia
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KOMUNITAS BLOGGER UNIVERSITAS SRIWIJAYA
Created by the world’s most talented artist, Mother Nature, throughout thousands,
sometimes millions of years of weathering and erosion, Australia’s rock formations
are considered some of the most spectacular in the world. Here are the seven most
impressive rock artworks Down Under:
7. Devil’s Marbles
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One of the most popular sites in the Australian outback, Devil’s Marbles consists of
clusters of large granite boulders scattered throughout a large valley. Karlu Karlu, as the
aborigines refer to this sacred place, started forming millions of years ago, when lava started
hardening under a thick layer of sandstone. With the passing of time, the sandstone was
washed away, which caused the granite to expand and develop cracks. Mechanical
weathering played its part and gave the stone blocks their rounded shape.
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The 4 meters high, 13-33 meters wide Devil’s Marbles are still being molded by
Mother Nature, who isn’t yet completely satisfied with her work. Extreme heat caused
some of the boulders to break in half and scientists predict in fifty million years,
Devil’s Marbles will be just tiny pebbles. That’s if people stop chipping pieces
out of them as souvenirs.
6. Three Sisters
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Meehni (922m), Wimlah (918m) and Gunnedoo (906m) are the Three Sisters towering over
Jamison Valley, in New South Wales, Australia. The most popular rock formation in the Blue
Mountains was created by sandstone erosion. Water found its way through little cracks,
slowly enlarging them and ultimately creating huge indentations.
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To spice up tourist experience, the locals created a legend around the Three Sisters.
Apparently three sisters fell in love with three men from a rival tribe, but were forbidden to
marry them. During the battle that ensued, an elder turned them into stone, to protect them,
but he was killed and there was no one left to bring them back to their human form.
5. Wave Rock
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Wave Rock, one of the most famous landmarks in Western Australia, is located near Hyden,
a small town 350 km east of Perth. Resembling a giant wave just about to break, Wave Rock
is 15 meters high and 110 meters long. It formed 60 million years ago, through chemical
weathering of the granite, below Earth’s surface.
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The wave shaped rock formation has become one of the symbols of Australia, attracting over
140,000 tourists every year. Its popularity has grown so much that authorities had to modify
the Hayden airstrip to accommodate large aircraft carrying tourists from all around the globe.
4. Bungle Bungles
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Purnululu National Park hosts one of the world’s most breathtaking landmarks,
Bungle Bungles. The unique, beehive-shaped domes rise from the bottom of Piccaninny
Gorge like petrified tigers, striped in orange and black. This unique landform was formed
over 350 million years ago from sediments shaped by winds from the Tanami Desert.
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The orange color bands of Bungle Bungles are the result of iron and manganese coating the
rock, while the black stripes were created by dark algae that multiplied in the softer layers of
rock.
3. The Pinnacles
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Stretching as far as the eye can see in Nambung National Park, The Pinnacles is one of the
must see attractions of the Coral Coast. Scattered around an area of 17, 487 hectares and
surrounded by a wide array of wildlife, The Pinnacles attract over 250,000 visitors every year.
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There is some controversy surrounding the formation of The Pinnacles, but the most widely
accepted theory is that about 25,000 years ago the sea receded from the area, leaving large
deposits of seashells that disintegrated into fine limestone, the raw material for the amazing
rock formation we see today.
2. 12 Apostles
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Rising up to 70 meters from the waters of the Southern Ocean, the 12 Apostles are located
along the famous Great Ocean Road, in Victoria. The creation of The Apostles began 10-20
million years ago, when the ocean began constantly eroding the coastline. The caves
created in the cliffs eventually turned into arches that ultimately collapsed leaving their giant
limestone pillars at the mercy of the waves.
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The 12 Apostles were originally called Sow and Piglets, but after the name change during the
1950s, the site became an internationally famous tourist attraction. The waves keep eroding
the pillars about 2 cm every year and they ultimately crumble into the ocean, so enjoy them
while you still can.
1. Uluru
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Also known as Ayers Rock or Red Rock, Uluru is one of the most recognized Australian
icons and a sacred place for the Aboriginal people. The 348 meters high monolith is all that
remains of a completely eroded mountain range. Ever since it was added to the UNESCO
World Heritage Site List, Uluru’s popularity rose and it now draws in over 400,000
tourists every year.
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The local Anangu Aborigines attribute a great spiritual significance to Uluru and therefore
never attempt to climb it. They request the same respect from visitors, but the government
even installed a chain handhold to make the steep hike even easier. Even so, climbing Uluru
can still be dangerous, due to strong winds near the top. 35 climbing-related deaths were
registered at Uluru.