The Bungle Bungle Range is a spectacularly incised landscape of orange
an grey dome shaped sandstones rising 250 metres above the grass land.
The Bungle Bungle Range is one of the most fascinating preserved
geological landmarks, located in Purnululu National Park in the
Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Bungle Bungles were not
really discovered as a travel destination until the mid 1800s.
Bungle Bungle Range Photograph by Neerav Bhatt |
Bungle Bungle Range Photograph by Sam Abell, National Geographic |
A series of beehive-shaped towers or cones were formed by the combined
effect of wind and rainfall on Devonian-age quartz sandstone over a
period of 20 million years.
Bungle Bungle Range Photograph by NeilsPhotography |
Bungle Bungle Range Photograph by Vallausa |
Unique depositional processes and weathering gave spectacular black and
orange banded appearance to these dome shaped towers. The dark layers in
the sandstone were formed by biological processes of cyanobacteria,
previously called blue-grey algae, that serve to stabilise and protect
the ancient sandstone formations. These dark layers have a higher clay
content so that hold moisture better. The lighter coloured layers have
less clay, are more porous and dry out quickly. Cyanobacteria can't grow
here and without the protective coat the surface is exposed to
"rusting".
Source(s) : kimberleyaustralia.com, whc.unesco.org
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