Covering an area of 4795 hectares and stretching for eight kilometers, stands Mt Augustus, the world’s largest monolith (rock). The peak of this rock stands 717 meters above the floor of the shrub land in Mt Augustus National Park.
How Mt Augustus was named
The first European man to climb this massive rock named it Mt Augustus. Francis Gregory named Mt Augustus after his brother, Sir Augustus Charles Gregory. The Wadjari Aboriginal calls this monolith, Burringurrah. Burringurrah is the name of the boy in a Dreaming story about a young boy who was just entering into his manhood, got scared, ran away, and was caught a little while later.
The Wadjari Aboriginal people carved etchings on the walls of Mt Augustus. Some of the tools used for these etchings have been discovered in this area. Once you have check out all these etchings, you can take the trail up to the top of the world’s largest rock. This trip will take about 6 hours, so be prepared to take plenty of water with you. Imagine telling your friends and family that you actually hiked to the top of the world’s largest rock. You may just become a local celebrity.
Do not forget your camera
If you are lucky enough to be at, or by Mt Augustus at dawn or dusk, make sure, you have your camera with you because you are in for a treat. The colors surrounding this rock will change continuously from deep indigo to a bright pink, orange, red, and sometimes green. This experience is one you will want to capture onto a hard copy of some type.
At the base of Mt Augustus is Cave Hill Trail. This trail is a 2-hour walking trail that will lead you to the entrance of a cave to give you a good view of the Lyons River. There is a warning not to enter the cave because the ceiling in this cave is unstable. At Beedoboondu (Flintstone Rock), there are more aboriginal etchings located underneath this large, flat rock. After that, take the 6-hour return trail hike to the summit of this rock for a view of the surrounding plains and other ranges. However, do take plenty of water with you.
Mundee is anther rock that has the tracks of an emu, kangaroo, and bustard on three different cave-like overhangs. There is a myth in the Aboriginal culture that says in the beginning, when the rocks were soft, a Dreaming spirit with his finger engraved these tracks on the overhangs. If you are in the mood for a picnic, the Warrarla (Gum Grove), has a trail leading to a very peaceful area surrounded by a grove of river gum trees.
The inhabitants of the area around Mt Augustus include emus, bungarras, and red kangaroos. Reptiles and over 100 species of birds also call this area home. With that in mind, please be respectful of your surroundings while visiting this park and abide by the following simple set of rules.
* Make sure you carry enough of your own drinking water.
* Take your trash with you as you travel the park.
* No fires are allowed, so please leave the dead wood there as habitats for the wildlife.
* No hunting or pets are allowed.
* Stay on marked trails
Do not forget to bring your camera. There are some awesome photography opportunities to take advantage of. Have a great visit.
