Australia Rock

Australia Rock is a popular photo opportunity. Viewed at just the right angle, the hole in the rock at Wagonga Head, has an uncanny resemblance to a map of Australia (without Tasmania). There are various explanations for how the rock formed into this continental likeness, including that it is simply a natural result of thousands of years of erosion of the ancient chert and shale headland. One of the more interesting tales is that the hole was created inadvertently when a ship was moored to the heads with large chains. In heavy seas the chains wore away the rock to create the familiar shape you see today. Australia Rock is part of the Narooma Accretionary Complex and Chevron Folds, the results of the pressure from the Pacific Plate's collision with the land.