Five weird and wonderful natural phenomena in Australia
It’s no secret that Australia is a very special place with an abundance of wild spaces and beautiful locations that will make your jaw drop, but these places are just out of this world.
No matter how well travelled you are, you’re guaranteed to have an ‘ooh … ahhh’ moment upon seeing these natural phenomena.
If you’re a nature lover, a science enthusiast or just appreciate a pretty view, get the pen and paper ready to add these attractions to your bucket list.
1. Aurora Australis, Tasmania
Everyone’s heard of the Northern Lights, but Australia has its own version that’s just as spectacular, best seen from Tasmania.
The gorgeous display created by the Northern Lights’ counterpart is caused by energetic electrons.
When particles from the sun collide with molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere they cause them to light up, and the presence of different gases results in different colours.
Aurora Australis usually casts a stunning purple and green display over the landscape, but other colours are known to make an appearance.
2. Wave Rock, Western Australia
Wave Rock is a natural rock formation shaped like an enormous breaking wave.
It’s located near the small town of Hyden in the south west of Western Australia, attracting more than 140,000 tourists each year. Not bad considering Hyden is 292km from Perth!
The formation was caused by erosion over millions of years – a truly impressive feat of Mother Nature.
Read more: 5 of the best nature walks near Cairns
3. Red crab migration, Christmas Island
Each year, Christmas Island’s endemic red crab population of nearly 44 million migrate to the sea to lay their eggs in the ocean.
The crabs nearly take over the island, blocking roads and swarming on the beach where all that can be seen is a vibrating sea of red.
Special barriers and bridges have even been built for the crabs so they don’t wander en masse onto the highway.
4. Staircase to the moon, Western Australia
There’s nowhere else in the world where you can see a staircase to the moon – an optical illusion that makes it appear as though there are steps leading up into the sky.
The illusion is created when the full moon rises over the mud flats of Roebuck Bay, Broome.
There are usually markets that accompany the staircase to the moon phenomenon, so it makes for a wonderful travel experience.
5. Lake Hillier, Western Australia
Another reason to visit Western Australia is Lake Hillier, a phenomenon that must be seen to be believed.
The lake is a spectacular bubblegum-pink body of water, right next to the bright blue Pacific Ocean.
Part of its allure the fact the reason behind its incredible colour is not fully understood by scientists.
They theorise it’s due to the presence of a certain type of bacteria as well as the salt content in the lake.
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