Shrooms EarthCache
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It's about a half hr walk in from Mt Erica Carpark so pack water and provisions according to your ability and the season.
Giant rocks are not an uncommon sight in Australia. We have large boulders scattered all around the country.
Historically they have held mystery, spiritual significance, been the subject of cinematic drama, and been ambush sites for bushrangers; but these ones are special.
Whats not to love about a big rock!
The large "tors" found here are a distinctive remnant of the landscape of 365 million years ago. Unlike lava that erupts from volcanoes and cools on the earth's surface (basalt), these rocks cooled slowly deep within the earth (granite) and were then exposed.
Over eons, water seeped into natural fracture lines in the buried rock, and as moisture naturally pools on the lower rock surface, it allows microbial action, (especially lichens and mosses) to hasten the erosion and ‘rot’ away the lower rock.
These granite rocks were eventually exposed as the soil and softer rock eroded away from around it. Once exposed further erosion occurs. Natural weathering flakes off sheets of loosened rock leaving the upper surfaces continually shrinking and well rounded, and the lower edges more squared; hence the “mushroom” cap shape.
These same processes still continue today, but as the ground progressively falls due to natural erosion, two things happen. The mushroom cap perched on top of lower rock pedestals seem to ‘grow’ up out of the ground; and new faces of previously underground granite are exposed to the same microbial erosive forces cultivating new ‘crops’ of mushrooms.
Your Mission should you chose to accept it:
From GZ identify the variety of GRANITE that these rocks are classified as and email me the answer, and for bonus points: photograph yourself with any mushroom that takes your fancy!
Feel free to log the find without CO approval but I'll delete it if no answer is sent!!!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
ybbx ng vasb fvtantr arne srngherf