Canyons and Gorges: Queensland
The Grampians
The Grampians is a mountainous area of waterfalls, valleys, mountains and woodlands set amid three stark and spectacular ridges of upthrust sandstone, some 90 kilometres in length and rising in peaks to a height of 1070 metres. Rich in native flora and fauna - herds of acclimatised deer roam the hills and duck-billed platypuses still inhabit the streams - the form and mood of these mountains is different from any other in Australia.
Organ Pipes National Park
A set of basalt columns as straight and regular as organ pipes is the central feature of this 121 ha park in a deep gorge in the bare Keilor plains to the north of Melbourne. The ���organ pipes��� were formed about a million years ago when a massive lava flow, about 70 metres thick, spread over the plains from nearby volcanic hills. A surface crust formed and the lava beneath cooled very slowly and contracted. Vertical surface cracks developed, and as the lava continued to harden, the cracks lengthened until the basaltic mass was divided into columns. Over the next million years, Jacksons Creek cut a deep valley through the thick basalt layer to expose the formation known as ���the organ pipes���.
Lerderberg Gorge
Lerderderg State Park (incorporating the former Pyrete State Forest) is a 14,250 hectare park located between Bacchus Marsh and Blackwood, an hour���s drive from Melbourne, Australia. Here the Lerderderg River has cut a gorge 300 metres deep through sandstone and slate on its way to the plains of Baccus Marsh. ��Its myriad tracks, gullies creeks and ridges form a wild, rugged environment enjoyed by bushwalkers, horse riders and mountain bikers. The park is popular for bushwalking, as it is possible to walk all day and not see anybody.
Mount Lawson
Mount Lawson State Park is known for its steep slopes, cliffs and prominent rocky bluff which impart a natural rugged beauty. The park offers are panoramic views of surrounding mountains and valleys from the summit of Mount Lawson and spectacular displays of wildflowers in spring. Extending from Lake Hume and the Murray River in the north to the Murray Valley Highway in the south, Mount Lawson and nearby Mount Granya State Parks form a large tract of remote and undeveloped land.
Avon River Gorge
The Avon River winds majestically through the 5700 ha. Avon - Mt Hedrick Scenic Reserve, over time sculpting beautiful gorges from the surrounding landscape. Complementing this is dry open forest with a diversity of wildflowers as well as rocky escarpments and several high peaks with sweeping views of the surrounding area. The Channel is the centrepiece of the reserve; a magnificent gorge created by the Avon River carving its way through the silt and sandstone over millennia. The reserve provides for a variety of activities including picnicking, camping, walking, sightseeing, horse-riding, fishing, swimming and car touring.
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