Castle Rock, Granite summit in Porongurup National Park, Australia.
Castle Rock is a granite summit in Porongurup National Park, Western Australia, rising above a forest of jarrah, marri, and karri trees. It sits within a range of ancient granite domes that run across the park from east to west.
The formation was originally called Alfred's Castle after a 19th-century settler who helped open up transport routes across Western Australia. As the national park took shape, the name was gradually shortened to Castle Rock.
The granite formations within Porongurup National Park hold significance for Indigenous Australian communities who utilized the area for traditional practices.
The trail to the top is steep and passes over rocky ground, so sturdy footwear and enough water are worth preparing before you set off. Near the summit, a metal walkway and viewing platform are reached by climbing a short ladder.
The granite that forms Castle Rock is over 1 billion years old, making it among the oldest exposed rock on Earth. This means the summit has been slowly eroding and taking its current shape for longer than most mountain ranges have existed.
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