Posted on 07/04/2005 2:03:22 AM PDT by Thinkin' Gal
Photo shows rubble left after the collapse of one of the largest rock stacks
of one of Australia's most recognisable landmarks, the Twelve Apostles
rock formation in the Southern Ocean and visible from the
Great Ocean road in Victoria.(AFP)
SYDNEY (AFP) - One of Australia's most famous sights, a set of 12 peaks which sit in the sea off the Victorian coast and are known as the Twelve Apostles, has been irrevocably damaged with the collapse of one of its limestone pillars.
After withstanding the pounding of the sea for an estimated 6,000 years, the 45-metre (150 yard) rock pile tumbled into a collection of rocks and debris on Sunday morning before a bewildered Sydney family.
The collapse was accompanied by a noise compared to a loud wave.
"They said it sort of shimmered or shuddered and then fractured and collapsed straight down on itself -- it was almost like a building demolition," a spokesman for Parks Victoria told the Daily Telegraph.
"All that remains now is quite a substantial pile of rubble, about 10 metres above sea level."
The collapsed pillar was one of the bigger rock formations and "integral to what used to be the view," he added.
The Twelve Apostles are giant rock stacks of varying heights in the Southern Ocean which began forming 20 million years ago when erosion gradually began whittling away the limestone cliffs of Port Campbell.
Global warming?
Bush's fault?
This combination photo shows two photographs taken less than one minute apart of the Australian tourist attraction known as the Twelve Apostles, about 220 kilometres (135 miles) south west of Melbourne, before and after one of the pillars collapsed on July 3, 2005. Part of the Twelve Apostles, one of Australia's most famous landmarks, has been reduced to a pile of rubble after one of the ruggedly beautiful rock stacks collapsed in front of stunned onlookers. Picture taken on July 3, 2005. EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Parks Victoria/Handout
See post 4.
Well there goes Judas I guess. Vote on the next one.
Vote on the next one. (to be erected)
Good. That's the one in the foreground of the pic I posted. I thought it might be, but wasn't sure.
Never mind. I wasn't seeing straight.
wow! thx for the before an after pics......amazing!
Wow! Cool.
Must've been Judas...
Mother Nature or the Gaija Goddess at work. George Bush wasn't even at the beach that day. Not his fault.
One down, eleven to go. Anyone care to bring the dynamite?
Indeed. This is, as so many things are, all Bush's fault!
Are you sure it was Judas?
Maybe it was James the Less.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._James_the_Less
**After withstanding the pounding of the sea for an estimated 6,000 years, the 45-metre (150 yard) rock pile**
No wonder the metric system never really took hold here...it keeps changing equivalents. I think they meant 150 feet.
You break it, you buy it.
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