Pinnacles Desert in Australia – photo, description, map
When it comes to the Australian continent, many people think about the unique inhabitants of the island nation, the boundless ocean around and the unique sights created by the hands of different generations of local residents. Of course, in addition to this, there is a whole list of objects that are the real pride of the young continent and were created by the forces of nature. But not everyone knows about the magnificent The Pinnacles desert, which strikes the imagination with its amazing landscape and unusual rocky sculptures. It is about this colorful place that will be discussed in our review.
Unique place
The name of this corner of the “green” continent is translated as “desert of pointed rocks.” At first glance at the lifeless expanses, it becomes clear what exactly served as the basis for such a name. Rocky statues rise everywhere, which have a certain resemblance to a cone or pyramid and stretch towards the blue sky with pointed peaks. The height of each such “creation” ranges from 1 to 5 meters. It seems that the rocks were selected according to certain criteria and brought to a remote corner of Australia, where today they present a whole exhibition of Mother Nature's creations. Among the huge number of limestone figures, it is impossible to find at least one pair of identical ones.
The easiest way to get to this “rocky figures park” is from the Australian town of Cervantes, which is located just a 20-minute drive from a picturesque corner. And even such a short trip through the beautiful expanses of the country will give a lot of new impressions. The authorities are well aware that the income from the tourism business is a significant share in the formation of the annual budget and are doing everything to make the way to the sights and objects easier and more comfortable.
Nambang Park is no exception, which includes an amazing desert. Tourists who were lucky enough to visit these parts do not hide their delight and call Pinnacles the “highlight” of the National Park. But local residents have long known about the beauty of the place and have not deprived it of attention since the 60s of the last century. Thanks to the popularization of the National Park and the creation of favorable conditions for tourism, since 2008 Pinnacles has been visited annually by more than 250 thousand foreigners, that is, an average of 700 tourists every day!
Best time to visit
Tourists are sure that the desert appears in all its beauty from August to October. This is due to the fact that a meager landscape of bright yellow sand and gray rocks is complemented by thousands of plants that bloom precisely at the beginning of autumn. There are especially many tourists in the early morning or in the afternoon, when the sun is nearing sunset and a unique play of shadows is created around. Limestone formations seem to come to life, begin to move and whisper among themselves.
And one moment. During the hours when the area is not exposed to the scorching rays of the sun, here you can see a few representatives of the local fauna. The animals seem to have become somewhat accustomed to tourists and do not run away at their first appearance. Kangaroos and Emu ostriches prefer a daytime lifestyle, and the rest of the inhabitants leave their shelters only after sunset.
limestone peaks
Like all such formations, rocky peaks, which simply dot a small area, appeared here a very long time ago. Scientists have established that the main element in each statue is the remains of sea shells. But it was not possible to establish the true origin of the rocks. There are several theories of their origin, which are the subject of heated discussions between Australian experts. The most logical is the theory that the statues were formed under the influence of wind and rain. The wind played the role of a “supplier” of building material, and raindrops played the role of a cementing link. And the plants themselves and their root system acted as an additional strengthening element. For many years, by such an unusual mechanism, the formation of every centimeter of huge rocks took place,
Other Features
As already noted, you can get to Pinnacles along the highway from the town of Cervantes. But traveling through the desert itself without a special car will not work. Jeep tires, which are specially equipped for such trips, must have increased resistance to sharp stone peaks, and the suspension elements and frame are protected by special frames. Tourists who have been to the desert more than once know that outwardly dissimilar rocks are combined into groups. Of particular interest to visitors is a group of limestone formations, which is known as the “Silhouettes of Ghosts”. If you look closely, you can see that they all form a circle, and the “main” giant is in the center. It bears the name of the main ghost – Death, which seems to give instructions to other ghosts.
Visitors do not deprive attention of other groups of rocks that bear the name of animals and objects with which they have an external resemblance. Here you can take pictures with Kangaroo, Teeth and Gates and even “make friends” with the Leader of the Redskins. It is believed that for the first time unique formations were discovered by historian Harry Turner. It happened back in 1956, when the rocks acquired the official status of an Australian landmark. By the way, they were also mentioned in the records of the first sailors and settlers, who believed that the sculptures were the banal remains of an ancient settlement. Indeed, if you look at the desert from a bird's eye view, it will seem that a whole complex of buildings and structures was once located on the site of the modern desert.
Visiting a picturesque corner of the Australian continent, where the colors of the blue sky, yellow sand and rocky formations are so successfully combined, is worth every guest of the “green” continent.
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