Australian Shield, Ancient geological structure in Western Australia.
The Australian Shield is an ancient rock formation that spreads across parts of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and South Australia, made up of stone that solidified or transformed under heat and pressure billions of years ago. The region still displays the features of this older part of Earth's crust today.
This rock formation took shape about 2.8 to 3.5 billion years ago and is one of the oldest pieces of Earth's crust. It has remained relatively stable since then, while the continents around it shifted and changed.
Local communities have deep roots in this landscape and share stories about the rock formations passed down through time. The way people live and move through these areas is shaped by the land beneath them.
Access to this region varies depending on which part you want to visit, since it spreads across multiple Australian states and most locations are remote. Visitors should prepare for different conditions depending on where they go.
A section called Jack Hills contains crystals older than 4 billion years, making them among the oldest known materials on Earth. These crystals give scientists important clues about what the early Earth looked like.
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