Facts for kids: What is the world’s largest rock?

world's largest rock

The world’s largest rock is around a billion years old.

The world’s largest rock is Mount Augustus in Western Australia. It is two-and-a-half times times larger than Uluru (Ayers Rock) and towers up to 858 metres (2815 ft) above the surrounding terrain.

Mount Augustus has a central ridge which is almost 8 kilometres long and scientists estimate the rock of the mountain is around one billion years old. The mountain was formed from an uplift which raised an ancient seabed of sandstone and folded it into a dramatic ^ shape. The granite rock beneath Mount Augustus is believed to be 1.65 billion years old.

Getting to Mount Augustus isn’t easy. It’s located 320 kilometres (199 miles) east of Carnarvon, essentially placing it in the middle of nowhere.

Short answer: Mount Augustus is the world’s largest rock. It features aboriginal art, can be seen to change colour during the day, and is known as Burringurrah by the local Wadjari Aboriginal people.

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