Antanangantana EarthCache

Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve is 42km east of Alice Springs along a sealed road. A short walk leads from the carpark to the 'windows on the rocks' and around the base of the Corroboree rock formation. To get to GZ you will need to complete the Coroboree Rock (Antanangantana) Walking Trail (a 15 minute loop).

Corroboree Rock is an outstanding dark grey column of dolomite. It is of great importance to the Aboriginal people of the region and is a men’s sacred site.

The rock is an outcrop of dolomite from the Bitter Springs Formation originally laid down in salty lakes 800 million years ago. Dolomite is a soft sedimentary fine-grained rock. It is very similar to limestone, but instead of calcium carbonate, Dolomite has magnesium carbonate as the dominant compound. At the base of the rock there are streaky blobs of dalmation rock. A ring of low ground surrounding the rock makes it look like an obelisk. The rock formation is a result of successive layers of silt deposited in shallow salty sea water in which algae grew. Over millions of years the silt was compressed into layers of rock. These layers have been tilted vertically by the process of folding.

In addition to the rock formation, this site also has a range of native flora, including Spinnifex and Senna on the ridges with Supplejack (Ventilago viminalis), Whitewood (Atalaya hemiglauca) Bloodwood, Red Mallee (Eucalyptus socialis) and Native Fig growing around the carpark and at the base of the rock.

To Log Your Find

Feel free to log your find straight after your visit, however you will need to send me an email with the answers to the following questions within a reasonable amount of time for your log to remain. The answers can be found on the information signs at and on the way to/from GZ.

1. What do the orange and white coloured rocks indicate, and when did this occur?
2. What colour have the rocks containing magnesium carbonate been weathered to?
3. What is considered to be the sweetest part of the atakwerle (Mulga Apple)?
4. What tree does the bush coconut (arrkipangkwerle) come from?

The Reserve is accessible all year round and has walking tracks, a picnic area and toilets, however camping is not allowed. Although the walk is short, as always be safe, avoid strenuous activity in the heat of the day and carry adequate water and sun protection.

Information for this description was sourced from: http://www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au and http://www.macdonnellranges.com

Congratulations to PeteTheClown for FTF!