Private Pinnacles Tours from Perth

Amid much debate, there are a few theories as to how the Pinnacles were created, which we will go into a little later, but they all share the same science.

The material that the Pinnacles consist of is seashells that have been broken down into lime rich sands. These sands were then blown inland to form dunes and the desert that is present today. From here there theories vary as to how the actual rock formations came to be.

The first theory is along the lines of they were formed by the leftovers of the Tamala Limestone deposits after extensive weathering caused depressions in the landscape over many thousands of years, resulting in the Pinnacle topography that exists today.

The second theory is that they were created through the conservation of tree casts that were buried in coastal plains where their roots became groundwater conduits. This process resulted in the creation of a hardened natural cement called calcrete, and further wind erosion then exposed these Calcrete pillars.

The third theory states that plants were actively involved in the Pinnacles formation. This is based upon the evidence of the creation of smaller ‘root casts’ under the same premise. The drawing of nutrients and calcium through the plant’s root systems resulted in high concentrations of calcium around the roots. Once the plants die the space occupied by the roots is taken by the calcium/carbonate deposits and possibly water leaching through the remaining structures.