Where did ayers rock come from?
Geological studies estimate that Ayers Rock was created anywhere between five thousand and 500 million years ago, when central Australia was inundated by a sea. Sand built up over time on the seabed, adhering over time just like sandstone is formed. Ayers Rock and the nearby Olgas (also known as Kata Tjuta) are part of the same sandstone slab beneath the Earth’s surface. The oceans receded due to movement of the continents, and huge forces within the Earth’s crust caused parts of the sandstone slab to lift and fold. Parts of this sandstone slab tilted 90 degrees, which is why the sandstone layers of Ayers Rock actually run almost vertically, rather than horizontally. Over time, wind and rain gradually eroded away the softer parts of the rock. It is estimated that only one-eighth of Ayers Rock is actually visible above the surface – the rest of it is underground, continuing for 5-6 kilometres.
