Gosses Bluff crater, Impact crater formation in Northern Territory, Australia.
Gosses Bluff is an impact crater with a circular structure spanning around 22 kilometers across and rising about 180 meters above the surrounding desert of central Australia. The central uplift and exposed rock layers shape the appearance of this geological feature.
A meteorite struck this location around 142.5 million years ago during the early Cretaceous period, creating a massive depression in the Earth. This impact reshaped the landscape and made it one of Australia's notable impact craters.
The Western Arrernte people call this formation Tnorala and connect it to creation stories of their ancestors. The site remains a significant place where this community engages with the land through their heritage.
Reaching the site requires a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle since access is via unpaved tracks. The drive from Alice Springs takes several hours and is best visited when weather conditions are favorable.
The central uplift of the crater reveals rock layers that originally lay kilometers beneath the surface. This unusual window into deep Earth materials makes the location valuable for understanding geological history.
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