25:17.748 S  130:54.619 E

                                                                                                                 17^th July 2007-07-23

The Olgas – Kata Tjuta National Park in Central Australia

Very close to Ayers Rock (ULURU), the Olgas are more impressive to walk around and through, as they are not formed

from the same type of rock. 

Kata Tjuta and Uluru lie near the southern margin of an area geologists call the Amadeus Basin, a depression in the earth’s crust formed about 900 million years ago.  It received layer upon layer of sediment over several hundred million years, which then stopped 300 million years ago.

Bacteria and algae were the only life forms which helped break down rock of the high jagged mountain ranges, which had formed from crumpled and buckled sediments 550 million years ago and then uplifted.

Huge amounts of sediment washed away when it rained .  The remains formed the eroded tops of the

Mountains from different parts of the sedimental layers.

A broad valley developed between the two rocks, and filled with river sands and swamp deposits 65 million years ago, including thin layers of coal.  The Australian climate was wet then.  It is only during the last 500,000 years the climate has become drier, covering wind-blown sand over these mountain tops.

This is just visible tips of huge slaps of rock which extend far beneath the ground, possibly down as far as 5 or 6 kilometres!

We both had to wear our fly-screened hats to stop the things flying into our face and mouth whilst we did the 9 km walk across and

Through these boulders.