Think Uluru is the biggest rock in Australia? Think again. Taller than the Empire State Building, as wide as 614 Harbour Bridges, and more than twice the size of Uluru, Mount Augustus is not just the biggest rock in Australia but in the entire world.
Many Australians are shocked to discover that Mount Augustus, referred to as Burringurrah by local Wadjari people, is said to be more than 1.6 billion years old – making it far larger and older than Uluru. However, the rock monocline’s somewhat remote location in Western Australia’s golden outback means it remains relatively unknown around the country. Here’s everything you need to know about Australia’s largest rock.
Where is Mount Augustus?
Mount Augustus covers 4,795 hectares of the northwest Gascoyne region in Mount Augustus National Park, Western Australia. It is a two-day (1,000 kilometre) drive northeast of Perth, a 6.5-hour (465-kilometre) drive east of Carnarvon via Gascoyne Junction, or a six-hour drive (350 kilometres) northwest of Meekatharra.
How big is Mount Augustus?
Mount Augustus rises 717 metres above the rust-red plains, spans around eight kilometres in width, and has a base circumference of roughly 49 kilometres. From the air, you can see it from more than 160 kilometres away.
Is Mount Augustus bigger than Uluru?
Contrary to popular belief, Uluru isn’t the largest rock in Australia. Mount Augustus would easily swallow it up, standing 367 metres taller than Uluru and stretching more than five times wider in circumference.
While both are sandstone rocks, the key difference lies in their formation processes. Uluru is the world’s largest ‘free-standing’ monolith (single rock formation), shaped by sedimentation processes across millions of years. Whereas, Mount Augustus formed as a monocline, where layers of sedimentary rock were uplifted and tilted due to geological forces more than 1.6 billion years ago.
Can you climb Mount Augustus?
Mount Augustus National Park offers a variety of walking trails, spanning from short 200-meter strolls to the challenging 12-kilometer Summit Trail. This strenuous walk takes approximately five hours return, and should only be attempted by fit and experienced hikers.
The Summit Trail climbs up 650 metres to the peak, offering stunning vistas of the surrounding plains and distant ranges. Due to high temperatures during summer, the trail is only open from May to August, closing after 7am in September, October, March and April. Hikers must fill out a National Park Summit Hiking Form and display it on their vehicle dashboard before departing. Remember to wear a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and bring plenty of water.
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