Pinnacles Desert

peterpecksen

8 years ago

Road trip up the Indian Ocean Drive (State Highway 60). A great introduction to sightseeing in Western Australia.

After experiencing a couple of weeks of Perth’s fall and winter rain, we were treated to a beautiful sunny weekend. This means one thing…road trip. A two hour drive north of Perth takes one to Nambung National Park. By WA standards this is not a long road trip by any means, however, it was a great intro to this part of the region.

The Pinnacles Desert Discovery is an experience well worth the drive. Thousands of limestone pillars inexplicably rise from the desert here.

These strange geologic structures provide a vivid juxtaposition of shape and colour. A photographers dream to wander about in.

Once you pay to enter the Park you have access to an interpretive centre and freedom to explore the pinnacles. Either on foot or in your vehicle. Here is the hint, get out and walk amongst them. It is fascinating and you never know what you will bump into.

We nearly bumped into this little kangaroo as we were negotiating some of the bushes.

These galahs calmly walked away when we approached. They are obviously quite used to the people visiting here.

As you follow the pathway through the pinnacles you see the amazing difference in the shapes from one area to the next.

This collection reminded me of an old cemetery atop a hill. According to the information in the Discovery Centre there still is some debate as to how the pinnacles were formed.

From a few centimetres to 3 – 4 metres in height there are many different sizes and shapes.

You cannot help but love nature when you see how it clings on and survives no matter what the environment.

A beautiful area to behold. If you get the opportunity to visit the Pinnacles Desert, do not pass it up.

To add to the strangeness of the area, you also pass these mobile sand dunes while driving along. They apparently advance northward at about 12 metres a year.

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