Osmond Range & Echidna Chasm

We had been advised at the Visitor Centre to go to Echidna Chasm at midday is when the sun passes overhead, causing the oxidised iron in the sandstone walls to radiate an electrifying orange color creating a magnificent glow.

We arrived at 11am and walked to the Ormond Lookout first. The Osmand Range’s rock formations are between 1880-1600 million years old. In comparison, the foundations of the Bungle Bungle Range are 360 million years old, while the formation of the chasms, gorges and domes only began in the last 20 million years due to erosion! The views were incredible of the range and the bungles from the lookout.

We then continued onto the Echidna Chasm walk which was fairly easy. We started to walk through the entrance just before 12pm. The Echidna Chasm was formed by fractures in the sandstone. Over millions of years during the wet seasons water followed the fractures causing lines of weekness that resulted in deep incisions.

As we walked through the narrow walkway of the Echidna Chasm the walls were over 180m high in sections and towered above us. We walked into a few narrow sections and looked up to see the walls illuminated and the blue sky above. We scrambled over rocks and went past a no entry sign before arriving in the final section. We took lots of photos, although the photos didn’t look as amazing as what we saw.

We headed out and decided to drive back to the Mini Palms carpark and had lunch.Read more