Australia has often been unfairly portrayed as an old and idle continent with little geological activity, but new research suggests that we remain geologically active and that some of our mountains are still growing.
Australia has often been unfairly portrayed as an old and idle continent with little geological activity, but new research suggests that we remain geologically active and that some of our mountains are still growing.
The University of Melbourne study reveals that parts of the Eastern Highlands of Victoria, including popular skiing destinations such as Mt Baw Baw and Mt Buller, may be as young as five million years, not 90 million years as originally thought.
John Engel is one of four scientists from the Isotope Geochemistry Group in the School of Earth Sciences who studied the stalagmites, stalactites, and flowstones – technically called ‘speleothems’ – in the nearby Buchan Caves to produce the findings.
“At least 250 meters of additional height in the East Victorian Highlands appears to have been gained in the last few million years,” Mr Engel said.
Read more at University of Melbourne
Image: University of Melbourne scientist Jon Woodhead uses a custom made machine with a diamond-tipped drill to carefully extract speleothem 'rubble' for analysing. (Credit: John Engel)
