Great Escarpment, Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Great Escarpment |
|
|---|---|
The topography of Australia with The Great Escarpment to the east of the Great Dividing Range that is coloured in white on the east coast
|
|
| Location | Eastern Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°59′S 149°53′E / 31.983°S 149.883°E |
| Range | Great Dividing Range |
| Length | circa 3,600 kilometres (2,200 mi) |
| Geology | Escarpment |
| Age | Mesozoic |
The Great Escarpment is a huge cliff-like landform in eastern Australia. It runs along most of the eastern side of the continent, just east of the Great Dividing Range. This amazing natural feature formed a very long time ago, during the Mesozoic Era. It was created when a new edge of the continent appeared. Then, the land was pushed up, and the cliffs slowly moved backward over time. The Great Escarpment is about 3,600 kilometres (2,200 mi) long, stretching from north to south.
How the Great Escarpment Formed
The Great Escarpment started to form around 80 million years ago. This happened because a new edge of the continent was created when the land broke apart. It was a bit like how the western part of the East African Rift formed.
The Great Dividing Range is an area where the land was pushed up. This uplifted area is many kilometers away from the main break in the continent. It creates a natural boundary where rivers flow in different directions.
Scientists believe the process started with rivers carving out the land. You can still see traces of these ancient river paths today. After that, large amounts of lava flowed across the land. Then, the Great Divide was lifted even higher. Finally, the Great Escarpment itself formed as its cliffs slowly moved backward due to erosion.
What the Great Escarpment Looks Like
The Great Escarpment rises hundreds of meters high. To its east, near the coast, the land is quite flat. This coastal area is quickly changed by erosion. To the west, the landscape changes much slower.
The escarpment forms a series of steep cliffs. These cliffs are along the eastern edge of a high, flat area called a plateau. This plateau stretches east from the Great Dividing Range. In some places, the escarpment is much closer to the sea than the main mountain range. It can be between 200 and 300 kilometres (120 and 190 mi) closer.
Narrow valleys cut through the escarpment. Rivers flow through these valleys, carrying water to the sea. These rivers have slowly worn away the plateau between the Great Divide and the escarpment. Sometimes, this leaves parts of the plateau standing alone to the east. In the New England region, the escarpment seems to be moving backward about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) every million years.
See also
In Spanish: Gran Escarpa (Australia) para niños
