Wedding Cake Rock, Sandstone cliff in Royal National Park, Australia.
Wedding Cake Rock is a white sandstone cliff in Royal National Park along the coastline south of Sydney, perched on a platform 25 meters (82 feet) above sea level. The formation shows straight edges and clear horizontal layers that stand apart from the surrounding rust-colored rock.
Geological surveys in 2015 revealed the formation could collapse within a decade as erosion weakens the base. Authorities then closed public access in May of that year.
Visitors use the name because the formation resembles a multi-layer cake sitting on a plate. The rock is now admired from a distance after social media photos turned it into a widely shared attraction.
Access requires a walk of about 5 kilometers (3.2 miles) from Bundeena along the park's coastal trail. Crossing the safety barrier risks fines from park management.
The pale color comes from iron leaching out of the rock layers while surrounding cliffs appear in shades of orange. This chemical change makes the rock look as though it belongs somewhere else.
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