Eromanga Sea, sea
The Eromanga Sea was a shallow inland water body that covered parts of Australia around 110 million years ago, stretching across what is now Queensland and Central Australia. The sea was typically only tens of meters deep and filled with cool, muddy water that existed and receded multiple times over millions of years.
The Eromanga Sea began more than 120 million years ago when water flooded inland from the north and east, creating a vast shallow ocean across the continent. It receded around 95 million years ago as rivers filled the basin with sediments, shaping the landscape that exists today.
Visitors can see fossils and sediment layers in exposed areas of the region, particularly near Eromanga and in places where rock formations are visible. The best time to explore these ancient seabeds is during drier months when trails are more accessible.
The sediments and minerals from this ancient sea helped create opal deposits that are now famous worldwide. These precious stones formed between 97 and 60 million years ago when acidic water altered the sediments during land uplift.
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