Stuck in the mud

As mentioned before the natural wonders of Australia never cease to amaze and the Pinnacles are just another example.

The Western Australia website sums it up pretty well, “

The extraordinary ancient rock formations that make up the Pinnacles are located about a three-hour drive north of Perth near the coastal town of Cervantes.

Regarded as one of Australia's most unique landscapes, these incredible limestone spiers rise eerily out of the sand, some several metres tall. You can get up close to the Pinnacles on a scenic drive and walk trail that includes an amazing lookout over the Nambung National Park. It's believed the Pinnacles were created millions of years ago as seashells were broken down into sand and then eroded by water and wind.

The Pinnacles Desert Discovery, an interpretive centre has displays that provide an insight into the natural processes that formed the amazing pinnacle structures as well as information on the biodiversity of the park.

The Pinnacles are easy to access by car or you can take a coach or four wheel drive tour from Perth.

What the site doesn’t get portray is the sheer mysticism and bewilderment that these strange natural features elude and I would urge anyone in the area to take a bit of a detour and visit just to see for yourself. (There is a new road linking Cervantes with Lancelin so its an easy drive). It takes you to another world, one where statues have been created out of living things, frozen in time and left to slowly erode within the element.

The formations are unique in that scientists have yet to agree on exactly how they’ve been formed. Some argue they are ancient petrified tree stumps whereas others talk about the creation of different rock types and the slow erosion of the lesser resistant rocks. They are viewed as ‘New Geology” where apparently it’s not cool to talk about…who knew!

 

It’s also very strange when in this desolate place, flowers and plants thrive having got used to the dry desert area and adapted to surviving on minimal moisture. As a result, small birds including Gallahs flourish that in turn supports larger birds and a number of mammal species.