Popular WA tourist attraction appears to be changing colour

ABC NEWS (Australia)

One of Australia's most famous rocks appears to be changing colour. A wall built for water harvesting on wave rock is being blamed for changing the appearance of the West Australian tourist attraction.

Transcript

00:00 Wave Rock in Hyden is 2.7 billion years old.

00:05 The 15 metre high uniquely shaped monolith attracts visitors from across the globe.

00:10 There is a wall up on top and the wall was built after the Second World War and the wall's

00:16 purpose is to collect the runoff from the top of the rock.

00:20 But before that wall was built, the water, when it rained, the wave would become a huge

00:27 waterfall.

00:28 Geological guide Michael Ward says the rainwater brings out the orange in the rock, but sections

00:32 where the water is diverted turn dark.

00:35 Over millennia, water has played a part in forming and colouring the rock, also known

00:39 as Kattaketch by Aboriginal Australians.

00:42 The water became stagnant in here, this whole area in here was waterlogged and so the water

00:48 became very corrosive and it allowed the water, well the water in here is very corrosive,

00:54 the water pressure is pushing back against the granite, the water from above is coming

00:58 down and the water here is pushing it back into the inside.

01:02 It's a significant place for Indigenous Australians.

01:05 It's very unique and you know it's sacred, yeah, a lot of things are and there's certainly

01:11 some sacred areas, more sacred areas around here, but there's never been any artwork on

01:15 the face.

01:16 But there are artworks in the area surrounding the rock and that inspires more art.

01:22 The part of it is like the product is connecting on country, but the other part of it is allowing

01:27 people to come to the gallery and do art and a space for me to be able to be creative.

01:33 A creative connection to country, encouraging others to visit this colourful part of the

01:38 world.

01:38 (roaring)

01:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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