8 July 2008

The worlds biggest rock

Posted by Mick under: Western Australia .

You may be thinking that I’m talking about Uluru (or Ayers Rock as its also known), but as I learned today, the biggest rock in the world is located in Western Australia, is about twice the size of Uluru and is called Mount Augustus (wikipedia).

Mount Augustus, or Burringurrah as it is known by the local Wadjari Aboriginal people, is about 850 kilometres from Perth and midway between the Great Northern and North West Coastal highways. One of the most spectacular solitary peaks in the world, it rises 717 metres above a stony, red sandplain of arid shrubland—dominated by wattles, cassias and eremophilas—and is clearly visible from the air for more than 160 kilometres.

The rock itself, which culminates in a small peak on a plateau, is about eight kilometres long and covers an area of 4,795 hectares. At about twice the size of Uluru (Ayers Rock) it is the biggest ‘rock’ in the world.

Mount Augustus has now been added to the official ExpeditionOz list of places to explore :)

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