Tag: geotrails

Geology Part 1 – Stories from the Great Southern Road Trip

Road sign saying Geology Point

Confessed Geology Nerd!

I’m a rock nerd! I have more than a passing interest in geology and geological formations. Given that I’m a high school science teacher I feel that interest is very legitimate! While my knowledge is rudimentary, (my degree was mostly chemistry) I know enough to be able to read the stories held in rocks. Although it’s more like the abridged Readers’ Digest version, the outline is there! I know the difference between igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks but can’t identify many by name. My recent Great Southern Road Trip gave me lots of opportunities to check out some interesting scenery. 

Geology and Geotourism is an increasingly popular way to travel and Geotrails are becoming more common.  I have a great map called the Geotourism Map of NSW but I have not found one for the other states. It gives locations and details of some of the interesting formations.

This post shows some of the features I snapped along my way down the NSW coast and then in Tasmania. I missed plenty! I will just have to go back on another road trip – darn. I will give the broad brush strokes of what took my interest rather than a detailed explanation of the geology or geological history. (If you’re a geologist I’m happy to have your input in the comments below!)

Originally, I was planning on covering the geology encountered in both NSW and Tassie in this one post but it’s getting too long so I’ve split it into a two-parter.

Far South Coast of NSW

Jervis Bay – Moe’s Rock and surrounds

I don’t know who Moe was but the rock platforms in this area look bubbly and aerated. More likely there is some differential weathering of the sandstone. The colour of the sandstone also varies significantly. The lumpy, almost pillowy surface adds a lot of interest. While you are here in Booderee National Park have a look at the Cape St George Lighthouse. For the pedantic, Jervis Bay is actually not part of NSW but is governed by the ACT. In addition to whiter than white beaches there is a large-ish naval base there.

Bateman’s Bay – Denham’s Beach.

At the north end of Denham’s Beach there are two interesting features. Firstly the nicely folded rock wall and secondly the large potato like rocks strewn over the rock platform. When I first came across them, I really thought they were potatoes. Smooth, round and light coloured. Some have a coating of green algae. The rock wall has several very distinct strata. At the base is the dark rock which also makes up the platform. It is overlaid with lighter rock with embedded darker stripes.

Eden – South End of Aslings Beach

At the south end of Aslings Beach there is a magnificently striated and folded rock wall. At the base, there is a man-made rock pool. The layers are multi-coloured and in the right light glow with a rich red hue. These two photos taken at different times of the day and from a different angle and show off the folds and erosion.

Light to Light Walk – Green Cape National Park

You can walk from Boyd’s Tower to Green Cape Lighthouse. It is a 33 km walk and typically done over two days. Along the way there are LOTS on interesting features. The colour of the rocks is spectacular especially in contrast to the green-blue ocean. If you don’t want to do the walk, you can still access some of the spots via road. I did parts of the Light to Light Walk and have written about it in another post.

  • Red Sands Bay
  • White beaches, green sea and red rocks
  • A remnant of lighter coloured but denser rock siting on top of the bright red sandstone.

Australia’s Highest Peak – Mt Kosciuszko,

A COVID lockdown in Victoria meant I needed to change my plans (quickly!!!) and head west. I climbed to the top of Mt Kosciuszko on a fine sunny day via the Main Range Loop Track. I have written a separate post about the walk. The landscape is dominated by large granite tors. You can read about how tors form on Wikipedia.

The Rock – near Wagga Wagga

Maybe a little more thought could have gone into the name for this particular landform? The Rock juts out from the landscape very dramatically and is about 30 km south-west of Wagga Wagga. There is a walking trail to the summit, which according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, is a 6 km return walk. At this stage of my road trip I was a tight schedule to get to Melbourne to board the Spirit of Tasmania, so whizzed past without stopping! (Except to pull over to take the photo!!)

The Rock from the Olympic Highway

Part 2 – Tasmania

Check out my next post showcasing the geology and some of the geological features in Tasmania. Coming soon!

Don’t come to Flinders Island!

Flinders Island is the largest in the Furneaux group of islands in Bass Strait. It is on the north-east side of Tasmania and is governed by Tasmania. It’s less than 70km from end to end and 37 km at its widest point. The population is less than 1000. You can get there by a car ferry that leaves once a week from Bridport or fly. 

Like a beach to yourself?

Before you come to Flinders Island you need to have a good hard think.

Don’t come to Flinders Island if

  • Your ideal holiday involves shopping. There is only one gift/craft store and a few other shops (supermarket, butchers, baker, couple of cafes and a swanky new development on the dock at Whitemark which has a distillery.)

  • Your ideal holiday must be fueled by designer coffee in a different new cafe every day.

  • Ditto for Michelin rated restaurant experiences. Having said that the crumbed lamb cutlets at the pub were pretty good!

  • Your holiday must include cultural pursuits like the theatre, galleries and the like. There is a pub and a tavern and a public library.

  • You plan to mix it with the glamourous jet set. The people here are mostly in hiking or farming clothes with big dusty boots and very broad brimmed hats. 

  • If you think bird watching, geotrails, beachcombing along long sandy beaches, kayaking and hiking are boring. (Definitely don’t come under these circumstances)

  • In fact don’t come to Flinders if you don’t enjoy the “great outdoors” because that’s what the island excels at.

ONLY come to Flinders Island if you:

  • Like being outdoors

  • Like walking generally and particularly hiking up hills and mountains

  • Like having the beach to yourself for a quick skinny dip

  • Love scrambling over huge granite boulders covered in bright orange lichen

  • Love counting how many different types of seaweed are in the one rockpool

  • Are a bit partial to driving on corrugated dirt roads at the “right” speed

  • Like following a geotrail and and can tell your pegmatites from ordinary crystals. 

  • Love chatting to friendly strangers you encounter on the trail or in the pub

  • Have plenty of sunscreen and the aforementioned broad brimmed hat to manage the ferocious southern Sun

  • Like wallabies, wombats and pademelons

  • Are not worried about tiny little aeroplanes!

I love Geotrails!!

Pegmatites at Killiekrankie

Flinders Island Interstate Hotel

You must come to Flinders if you are a keen landscape photographer!

Castle Rock

I stayed on Flinders Island for 4 days which for me was plenty to get around and see the sights and relax as well. I flew over with Sharp Airlines from Launceston. It’s only a 25 minute flight. I stayed at the Flinders Bay Cabin Park and also hired an all-wheel drive car (RAV 4) from them.  The studio cabin was very comfy and had all I needed to cook some basic meals.

Sharp Airlines 19 seater Metroliner

Before you go check out the website and make sure you pick up a map and an “Essential Information for Visitors” brochure at the airport. Check out what times things are open because not much is open after dark or on Sundays. This is not the BIG SMOKE and the remote community will not have everything you need 24/7. If that’s the sort of holiday you’d like, have a stay-cation! Basic provisions and petrol are more expensive than elsewhere because everything must be shipped in so expect to pay a bit  extra at the supermarket. A real treat for those into Park Runs! There is a Park Run every Saturday starting at 9AM at the Whitemark Wharf. It’s on a wide flat track so a good opportunity to improve your time!

Walkers Supermarket through the Pub window

There is a developing “foodie-trail” happening with the distillery, and some interesting cafes opening. There is an olive oil plantation and three wineries. The gift shop has some lovely locally made items if you’re looking for a souvenir of your trip. 

Also make sure you go to Wybalenna, a settlement developed to isolate the indigenous Tasmanians in the 1830s. Another dark and sad time in our nation’s history. Go and pay your respects.

The Chapel at Wybalenna

And make sure you take a camera and your cossies, the water is surprisingly warm!