Plunge to the edge of the world With sheer cliffs that plunge down 60m the Nullarbor Plain of Southe
Plunge to the edge of the worldWith sheer cliffs that plunge down 60m the Nullarbor Plain of Southern Australia ends abruptly in the Great Australian Bight (an open bay). Although marine life is not abundant (the arid conditions of the plain make the sea quite infertile) the Great Australian Bight is known for its many sharks and Southern Right Whales.The Nullarbor Plain itself is the largest single piece of (unbroken) limestone on earth covering an area of 200,000 square km. This limestone formed when Australia separated from Antarctica about 65 million years ago. The plain (as the name already implies) is extremely flat with the Trans Australian Railway actually running for 483km in a straight line. In addition to the steep cliffs the plain also contains many caves and sinkholes that can be explored. The arid climate of the plain preserved meteorite deposits quite well, therefore these are often found.The name Nullarbor means no trees in Latin which makes sense since there are basically no trees. However, the plain is covered with saltbush and bluebush plants that can handle the drought and the saltiness of the area. The aboriginal population calls the plain Oondiri which translates as waterless, even more appropriate. As for animal life, 249 species of birds, 86 reptile species and 56 mammals (wombats!) live in these harsh conditions.–BOImage: Copyright by Richard Woldendorp. Where the Great Australian Bight and the Nullarbor Plain meet.References:http://www.australiaforeveryone.com.au/journeys_nullarbor.htmhttp://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/outback-australia/nullarbor-plain-limestone-karsthttp://www.eoearth.org/view/article/177257/ -- source link
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