NATIONAL ROCK GARDEN, AUSTRALIAWe’ve all seen the rock garden that our Aunt Maria is so fond o

NATIONAL ROCK GARDEN, AUSTRALIAWe’ve all seen the rock garden that our Aunt Maria is so fond of showing off to us, small stones and cobbles mixed with succulents and flowers. Such a garden takes a cue from the wondrous interactions of rocks with biology we love to find outdoors. A nature trail in Canada’s Glacier National Park is named The Rock Garden Trail just for this reason, a natural and beautiful mix of boulders with mosses dating from the ice ages. The “Our Dynamic Earth” Science Center in Edinburg took the idea of displaying the rocks of Scotland as boulders lining the entrance to the science center; since these include the geologic formations that gave birth to the science of geology, geologic visitors from everywhere on Earth have a chance to see the “rock stars” of their science. Now Australia is planning a formal rock garden to show off its national geologic treasures in a site accessible to all. I suppose we could describe this philosophy as: “If you can’t get to Ayers Rock, let’s arrange for Ayers Rock to come to you!” Or at least, a piece of the formation that it comes from taken from a non-sacred site.The project will be on-going for years ahead. A collection of about a hundred icons of Australian geology are planned to be collected and showcased in a parkland setting accessible to all. Boulders are being transported from all corners of Australia to demonstrate “the diversity of the rocks, fossils and minerals that contribute so significantly to the nation’s landscapes, heritage and prosperity.”Note: it is not always easy to transport boulders across country. Posts on the Rock Garden facebook page mention that in some cases, one boulder was shipped, but two arrived. The weight of one cubic meter (~a cubic yard) of rock weighs about three tons. A boulder the size of a Smart Car would weigh nearly 17 tons!It’s so much easier when the Earth transports the boulder on its own. However, the folk at the Rock Garden are pioneering a type of geoscience display to give homage to the Earth and celebrate the geodiversity of Australia.Aunt Maria would be proud!Annie RImage: This exceptional rock art is of “Two birds with eggs,” pecked into the weathered surface of granophyres of the Burrup Penninsula.The photo is by Brad Pillans, and it is a “safe image,” that is, approved to be viewed by non-aboriginal people.Thanks to Sue Fletcher, one of the Rock Garden’s administrators. To help raise awareness and funds for the Rock Garden, a Crowd Funding campaign will be held in mid-November. To support this and learn more, contact their website at: http://www.nationalrockgarden.org.au/ or facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Rock-Garden/509206615828657And other “rock stars” found at:http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk/homehttp://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/glacier/activ/activ2/activ8.aspx -- source link

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