Glen Helen Gorge, Natural gorge in Tjoritja National Park, Australia.
The Glen Helen Gorge stretches through the MacDonnell Ranges with high red cliffs rising directly from a permanent waterhole in the Finke River.
The geological formations of Glen Helen Gorge date back approximately 800 million years, making it one of the oldest river systems in the world.
The Western Aranda Aboriginal people maintain deep connections to this land, considering the gorge and surrounding areas as part of their ancestral territories.
Visitors can access swimming areas, walking tracks, and accommodation facilities at Glen Helen Lodge, located 130 kilometers west of Alice Springs.
The permanent waterhole within the gorge serves as a critical refuge for water birds and fish species in the otherwise dry landscape of Central Australia.
Location: Northern Territory
Part of: Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park, MacDonnell Ranges
GPS coordinates: -23.68806,132.67639
Latest update: March 6, 2025 08:40
The Australian outback encompasses a vast territory featuring distinctive geological characteristics, including ancient sandstone formations, deep canyons, and expansive salt lakes. This region contains some of Earth's oldest landscapes, from the red monoliths of the Northern Territory to the layered rock formations of Western Australia. Visitors can explore underground settlements created as shelter from extreme temperatures, as well as impact craters dating back millions of years. The collection includes sites such as Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the Northern Territory, which represent massive red sandstone formations. Kings Canyon offers tall sandstone cliffs and gorges, while Purnululu National Park in Western Australia is known for its orange and black striped sandstone domes. Other notable locations include the Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu), rounded granite boulders in the Northern Territory, and Wolfe Creek Crater, one of the world's largest meteorite craters. Karijini National Park displays deep gorges with layered rock, while Ningaloo Reef on the western coast hosts a coral reef system. The region also contains rainforest areas such as the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland and wilderness areas in Tasmania.
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