How can they be columns if not vertical? Gungal, New South Wales, Australia
By bella at waggy on 12-Aug-13. Waypoint GC4JMVV

Last trip through we stopped to have a quick look, but it was very wet and slippery. Today we were determined to find it but the undergrowth at the cache location is waist high in places. Lots of vines, honeysuckle and thistles. Very difficult to even see rocks at present. Definitely a trip hazard.

Found this on a small lap to pickup points. Thanks for the creation bella at waggy CheersHave a FP for bring me here

Grabbed on our way home. Interesting area poor geoson slipped on the way down and got tangled in a very sticky weed. TFTC

A Really scenic place for a break And geologically interesting - gives you an idea of what was happening all those millions of years ago. We had arrived just after some rainy days and the stream was flowing quite quickly making the area very pretty. We have sent the answers off to the CO. Enjoyed doing the cache. TFTC.

Lava in a sea of sandstone. How cool!Answers sent.Favourite point added Heading from Dubbo to Port Macquarie today and picked up two new LGAs.bella at waggy, I found How can they be columns if not vertical? today. Thanks for placing and maintaining this cache.

Answers on behalf of myself and co traveller sent by TeamAstro. What a great spot to come across!! And such an interesting geological placeDay 6 of the travels towards Barrington Tops before heading to the 2024 Canberra Geobash. Thanks bella at waggy for placing this here, contributing to this great game for myself and others to enjoy.

Another fascinating look at the local igneous activity. As you drive through the valley you can almost feel the lava either side of you. Found on the Mega Capital Geobash coastal loop via Adelaide - Barrington - coast to Mexico City loop. A lot of caches and white line fever was sweated out. Thanks bella at waggy and clear skies from TeamAstro. Cache the planet! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Found this place before had got around to answering the questions but have now .Greeting from Scotland and what a great place.TFTC

A break in my journey home from attending QOGM 2023 revealed this interesting rock formation. Two muggles near GZ also breaking their journey having a drink and a snack were probably not aware of these horizontal columns which were brought to my attention by this Earth Cache.Thank you Bella at waggy. Answers sent to C O.

A very interesting geological feature, and a nice spot for a rest stop along our journey from Newcastle to Parkes. TFTEC

Walked to the site while my hubby used the facilities. Very neat location that I would have never noticed if it was not for the EC. THANKS for adding this stop along our route. I will email answers once we're home from our big road trip, so I appreciate the patience:) tftc!

Heading away for our holidays and stopped here to stretch our legs and do the earth cache here. Such a nice spot we ended up having lunch here. I have never seen rocks like this before , it is a very cool and interesting location. Thanks for the great earth cache Bella fav point for teaching me something and the very cool location.

Hello bella at waggy thank you for the cache

Wow what a fantastic rock formation something I haven't seen before.
thank you for showing them to me.

This was one of many caches found on our way back home from Newcastle seeing our grand children.

Found on Friday, 19 May 2023 at 1629

**TFTC**

On our way to Rutherglen Mega

Caching today is Semik and Aneka the Geopup
An amazing location. I have not seen anything like it before.
Thanks for taking us here

Answers have been sent.

bella at waggy thanks for placing the cache for our enjoyment.

5/4/2023

Find #6927

Headed up the coast, way up in fact, to collect a geohound but plans took an unexpected turn. So while I drive 9 hrs up via Sydney, decided I’d go inland on the way home and collect a few counties, fill-ins for my Jasmer, and some other older caches to make the journey worthwhile. And of course who can resist an ADLAB here and there when it’s about discovery and learning.

Wow, the magic of nature never ceases to amaze. So pleased I stopped by to visit this location.

Thanks so much bella at waggy for getting me out and about, and for highlighting this spot

On the way to Coolah Tops, I thought this would be a nice way to warm up the geology senses. Hopped over the creek with an open jaw from looking at this awesome formation I haven't from memory come across horizontal columns (maybe rows ) of basalt before, and later found out why with a little reading! Make sure you check out the south side of the creek too, some of the columns have fallen out, letting you appreciate the erosional processes still occurring today! TFTC!!!!

For an earth cache, this was pretty interesting. Rocks are rocks!!!!!!!!
I found the required information and took the obligatory photograph.
TNLN TFTC

Love this amazing picnic area and the unique rock formations

A quick and interesting find! Will send answers tonight after some research and upload photo when I get home, weak signal here.

Today we had an afternoon break at Battery Hill. We were amazed at the rock structures thats why it is getting a fav point. It's amazing what nature creates. Thanks for putting this cache together.

Answers sent to CO. A lovely little spot to stop off at. TFTEC

This is an easy spot to pull over off the Golden Highway with drop toilets and picnic tables.

The rock formation (columnar jointing) is really fascinating to learn about and to be able to see it so accessibly.

A word of warning before sitting at any of the picnic tables (in particular the ones near the toilets and by the rocks) - just check for any resident wasps/nests before sitting. They don’t take kindly to visitors who sit right next to them, as we found out!

This was my first earth cache, so thanks bella at waggy for bringing us here!

Stopped for a break here. Very cool rocks near the picnic area.
TFTC

Great cache, cool geology

We travelled here on the way home from visiting Team Scozzie on the Central Coast earlier this year, so glad to have one up my sleeve for Earthcahe Day. Lovely spot here with some very interesting geographical features.
Thank you for the Earthcache bella at waggy! : )
Favourite point from us!

Found at 2:52 PM GAFF1.
We visited this EC 5 years ago and can't for the life of us remember why we didn't claim it? Very familiar columns and such a famous location - we are lucky to visit it twice
Thanks bella at waggy

OCW Brewmaker

A welcome stop to stretch our legs and explore this very interesting feature.

Answers sent to CO

TFTC

A very unique formation. Answers submitted and promptly accepted by a very nice CO. Best Earthcache ever, gets a fave point
TFTC

On our way to Merriwa for the night to catch up with caching buddies, this amazing columns caught our eye on the map. Interesting natural features. Answers sent to CO who generously approved our responses. After a long drive it was a good chance to rest. TFTEC

Found it but no information boards which answer the questions in the description. They may have been removed as it has been under construction since the 10/5/21. Still a beautiful spot to stop.

Out today with RoddyC/Hatzofff heading back to Qld. Enjoyed looking at this geological feature. Lot of water flowing through due to recent rain. Thanks Bella at waggy. Answers sent to CO. All good with this Earth cache.

Moving from Adelaide to Brisbane, jesswrigley and I decided to drive the long distance to make the opportunity a holiday, taking 12 days and passing through Victoria, New South Wales, and then finally arriving in Queensland. We spent the first few days in SA's Riverland, visiting Morgan, Berri and Renmark; and then drove through Mildura in Victoria. In NSW, we stopped at Hay, Parkes, Merriwa, Tamworth, Port Macquarie, and Coffs Harbour, and then entered Qld to stop for a night in Robina in the Gold Coast.

Today, jesswrigley and I travelled from Merriwa to Tamworth. It was a pretty bad weather day, with continuous showers of light to heavy rain, but we attempted to make the most of the day. We travelled via Denman, and then proceeded north stopping at Muswellbrook for lunch. We then drove through Aberdeen, Scone, Murrundi, Quirindi, Werris Creek, Duri, and Warral, arriving in Tamworth in the later afternoon. Several of NSW's LGAs were visited during our travels today.

This was an unexpectedly really cool site, that was quite hidden away from the main road. We travelled down to the end of the picnic area, and whilst the rain was drizzling down, we studied the rock nearby, as well as towards the distance. An obligatory selfie was had, and answers collected to send to the CO for verification. A great EarthCache to highlight the geology here! Thanks bella at waggy for the EarthCache placement.

On our way to Coolah Tops NP, and stopped for a stretch, and of course, grab the two caches that are here. Different feature. Thanks for bringing us here. Answers submitted by GeoIan.

On our way to Coolah Tops NP, and this was a good spot for a stretch, and of course, grab the two caches that are here. Very interesting feature. Thanks for bringing us here. Answers submitted.

I live on Phillip Island, Victoria, and we have a rock structure very similar to this one, but I think this is more spectacular! The contorted twists and bends are amazing. Thank you for bringing us here. I wouldn’t have expected it from looking at the terrain as we drove in. It was pretty warm by the time we got there on our way to Cessnock and I was so pleased I didn’t have a long walk to see the feature.
It’s also given more background to the one at home and how that was formed.

Stayed here overnight, beautiful place. Answers to questions sent via geocaching message. Tftc

We parked here on our drive to Dubbo and took the short walk to GZ. It was so hot there would not be any problems with the local fauna, at least they are sensible enough to stay out of the sun. We spent some time inspecting the columns which are very impressive, and would have liked to go down to the other area as well but the grass was way too thick. After a bit of counting we collected a nearby cache and headed back to the A/C. Many thanks to bella at waggy for bringing us here, a great place for a stop.

Heading home after our four-day cenny coast-Bathurst-Parkes-Narromine-Dubbo-Gulgong road trip with some muggle friends. We parted ways this morning with said muggles after leaving our final overnight stay at Gulgong where us novos spent the afternoon drive discovering new places via some geocaching and trig point hunting. We stopped here for our lunch break to specifically celebrate [International EarthCache Day 2020](https://www.geocaching.com/souvenir/?guid=bc9357ed-e3ed-4436-ac60-f6156502df69). This was our final geocache for the trip. A very interesting sight indeed! TFTEC, B@W.
(Answers sent)
#1239

Would never have known that these were here without the geocache stop. Pretty cool actually! Spent a bit of time climbing and exploring, took a few photos, and then it was time to hit the road again. Next time I would not do this in thongs!

Cheers

Lovely arvo for a geo.thanks

Tftc

A lovely spot with fascinating history. Answers sent. Tftc

Very amazing rock Feature

Thanks for this earth cache. It is an amazing place to stop. Without this cache we would not have known this was here as there is no signs on the road.

We are slowly making our way to St Arnaud finding a few caches as we go. WOW this is an interesting place, we have never seen basalt columns position like this before.
Answers sent to the CO.
TFTEarth cache

Answers an more ate coming.

For earth caching day. What an interesting site. I have never seen them on that angle before. TFTC

Stopped here on September 5th with the Mrs as we returned from a roadtrip to QLD. We temporarily escaped the chilly Melbourne weather and were fortunate that the warm weather lasted all the way to central NSW as we returned home.
I made the error here of preloading only the earthcache onto my phone - there was no phone signal once we arrived here so I knew there was also a traditional cache as well, but I had no information or coordinates for it! Fortunately I was able to claim one out of two smileys - the other one will have to wait for next time.
My thanks to the CO for bringing me to this fascinating geological formation.

The rock formations are a marvel.

We have seen several good examples of vertical polygonal columns but this was our first time to see horizontal ones, and so it was great to be able to undertake this very interesting Earthcache today. We have yet to send our answers to the CO, and so until we can find a moment during our current travels to do so we are posting this Write Note only to keep our cache finds in order. In the meantime thanks so much for the Earthcache and for having bought us to this fascinating location. Greetings from Zimbabwe

TFTEC Great location for a look around a hidden treasure really xx

Didn't read the description and parked up near the toilet and then went for a short stroll to find the two caches.

Rest stop earth caches are quirky and usually lots of fun, and this was no different. Having been to the burning mountain on the way to Tamworth, was aware of the volcanic activity in the area. Wonder if there's any link to it and the coal deposits around here (I presume volcanic activity is linked to anaerobic environments?).

Nevertheless a very cool geology lesson - wonder how many people would think these were man made?

Will send through answers in a bit - logging now to preserve find order.

Thanks B@W for the cache and the break.

Found in the company of Key_Tat and Viper_101... logging with CO's permission... what an amazing place... we have driven past here a number of times and didn't even know this was here... there is not even a sign saying there is a rest area here the direction we came from. The kids thought the columns were awesome. A lot of muggles camping, but they didn't care about what we were doing here. TFTEC have a fav.

Answers sent to CO from Tatt2squard's account. Found with Tatt2squared and Key_Tat... Finally have a premium membership, so going back through and logging all the premium caches I have signed as Viper_101 or as part of TeamTat...TFTC

Answers sent from Tatt2squared on 28/11/2018. Found with Tatt2squared and Viper_101... I just got a premium membership, so time to log all my finds that I have signed with Tatt2squared as Key_Tat. TFTC

Found on after a good nights rest.

TFTC

This cache was found today and brings our overall cache find tally to 9601. We found this as part of our 2018 Round Australia trip.

This was our first stop for the day out of Newcastle. We hope to visit as many locations like this as we can and hopefully pass on some knowledge to the kids as we go. We've sent an email with our answers. I've actually been to this spot previously to find a traditional cache but there was no earthcache in those days.

Thanks bella at waggy for the cache.

We had visited this site before for a traditional cache, so knew just where to find these fascinating basalt ‘columns’. Answers sent to CO, but logging to keep everything in order. We spent quite a bit of time examining the structure and sheer volume of the rocks. #5277 TfTEC Bella at waggy - some more geological information gained.

Discovered this amazing spot whilst travelling from Cessnock to Dubbo.
Answers will be sent to CO

[Scrat visited your Earthcache whilst on his Great Aussie Adventure.](https://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=4376822).

TFTEC bella at waggy

7098 Permission to log from the CO.
baby&Mrs gopher were here at this most unusual place on the 27/3/18. Answers placed this morning. When you see what your looking at, across the creek is more of the columns to view. Tnx bellla at waggy.

I was in the area for work and decided to finally stop and get the info for the earth cache. i had stopped by here before but only grabbed the traditional cache that was here. I went up and over as i went the same way as i went last time to the traditional rather then following the path. Then when i arrived i discovered that i could have driven most of the way around. Grabbed a few photos and jotted down some info to answer the questions. TFTC

Logged permitted by CO, drive travel to DUBBO, via turn stop for little rest and wow very interest of history... awesome earthcache..
Thank you for bring me here, great enjoyed today...

We chose this earchcache location for our lunch break and spent time looking at the geological formations. Very similar to an area in the Gawler Ranges near Mt Ives called Petes Pillars. Answers to be sent to co shortly. Thank bella at waggy for arranging this cache and adding to our enjoyment of the area. Fav point alloc.

This is an amazing place is called Battery Hill picnic area and it is 15 kilometres east of Merriwa and 8.5km west of Gungal. The area has examples of polygonal basalt columns also known as columnar jointing. The shape of the columns is attributed to tensional stress and the size attributed to the cooling rate. The basalt is known as the Liverpool Range Beds during the Tertiary period. Rock types in the area mostly consist of olivine basalt and dolerite. Its the remains of an Oozing Lava that once Consumed everything in its path. Streaming out of a steaming vent, from a hot, boiling, glowing melting pot of lava. Thanks to the CO for bringing me to this wonderful place. It was a highlight of our trip to stop here.

We made a stop and this picnic area to have a look at this very interesting natural feature. Having seen columns before, it was different to find these ones which have been formed differently. Observed the columns and worked out the answers to the questions, which have been sent to the CO.
Thank you to bella at waggy for creating this earth cache and showing us something different and quite amazing.
We are very happy to log this cache as a find and it gets a favourite point from us for the interest factor.

The last cache of the run home from Dubbo after a weekend at the zoo.

We've driven past this a heap of times and never stopped for it which frankly was a mistake! It's great! The kids loved climbing all over the hill (so did Dad) and we spent some time chatting to a Vietnam veteran who was camping there overnight.

Thanks for giving us a reason to stop and stretch. TFTC

After an interview up this way I decided to go a bit further and find this earth cache. After getting distracted at Denman with a multi I finally had a late lunch at the Tourist Hotel Sandy Hollow, which was amazing! Best lamb cutlets around! Then it was a much shorter drive to here and I got to look at some really cool rocks. I still don't get how these occurred, but they are amazing and well worth the trip.
Thanks for the drive, great formation and earth cache!

Caching today with Team Merlin. With an Earthcache on our radar for today to try and see if we could complete all the needed requirements to claim a find.
With coordinates in the GPS we headed off to make a find for the cache.

We parked at the indicated coordinates and made our way to GZ on foot.
While at GZ we obtained all needed answers to complete the earth cache questions.
Thank you to Team Merlin for sending through the emailed answers on our behalf.
This is a very lovey location thanks for bring us here.

TFTEC

Staying at nearby Merriwa we ventured back down the Golden Highway towards Gungal and initially missed the turnoff as there are no signs to the rest area coming from that direction, but after turning around we spotted the signs and made our way towards GZ. Was not expecting the scene as we drove around the corner - very spectacular.

As rain starting falling when we exited the car, we quickly set about working out all of the answers to the questions. Now posting with permission - thanks b@w for the quick response.

The following TBs came through for the mileage: Tiffany the Zombie Travel Tag, Bob geoMinion, Dave geoMinion, Evil geoMinion, Jerry geoMinion, Larry geoMinion, Stuart geoMinion, teamMerlin's 7 Deadly Ducks Tag (Lust), The Hulk & Vanlith The Youngling.

TFTEC bella at waggy - a favourite point awarded

Marvellous geology and geo-dog loved the wallabies from afar.
Did our measurements and noted the variety of sizes, and continued to enjoy a weekend in the lovely Hunter.
This is a fav.
Thanks for your response to our email.

We've visited this spot several times over the past 30-odd years and always marvelled at the columns. I first saw columns like this, although larger and more regular, at a high school geology excursion to a blue-metal quarry. They were being blasted and crushed on-site. It seemed like vandalism at the time but I later learned that these features are quite common.
We pulled in today and clambered over the columns with tape-measure and notebook in hand while the geo-pup played mountain-goat and sniffed wallaby trails.
A lone camper approached, beer in hand, and started asking questions about the rocks, which we were very able to answer. But with his initial curiosity satisfied, he wanted to know why these ones weren't being mined and used, because that's what we human animals naturally do, kill stuff and eat it, dig stuff up and use it. We lost interest in his education at that point.
Anyways, nice to visit here again. Thanks for stimulating our curiosity to research these things Bella and for the quick response to our answers.

Wow. This is certainly wasn't expected when we pulled up for the earth cache. Favourite point instantly from us!

Decided to grab a few caches on our way to Dubbo for the nephews first birthday before venturing through back to Goulburn through orange. It was a month ago we nearly stopped here for this cache with the geobrother as we road tripped across Australia to the red centre experience event in Alice Springs but knew that we would be returning for a birthday not long after.

Thanks bella at waggy for this lovely place and earth cache. Great rest area for the geokids too.

We stopped at this earthcache on our way out to Dubbo for a short holiday trip. Great interesting place to stop. Great columns too. Answers sent to CO. Thanks for the earthcache Bella at waggy.

Thanks so much had a wonderful time. Made us think Cheers

Very interesting place. Found some time ago. Many thanks for geol lesson.

Driving past today on our way to Dubbo, couldn't resist a return visit with the whole family......

found at our overnight stop. Had no idea this was here. TFTC

Love it. Thanks for bringing us here and teaching us about the amazing geology in our back yard. Good spot for a cuppa or lunch. Send msg with answers. Thanks

Answers sent to CO. This earthcache made for a good break in our trip from Dubbo to the coast. Interesting rock formation. TFTEC.

Find #757 (Earthcache #15)
Day 3 of the "Mudgee Mini-Roadtrip" - homeward bound
Today we drove home to Newcastle from Mudgee, via Gulgong, Ulan, Turill, Merriwa and Denman. The rain had eased, leaving the local creeks and rivers swollen, and my son had recovered from his gastro bug. The weekend tally was 31 caches and 885km traveled.
I've had plans to see this spot, do the EC since we started caching, so was pretty glad to get here today. What an impressive spot, I don't remember ever seeing anything like this at a highway rest stop before.....
Samuel loved climbing up the columns, and was stoked to hear they were made of basalt, as he had read about basalt in his 'Minerals' library book just this week.
Thanks very much bella at waggy, answers have been emailed.

Found the earthcache on our drive home today, after our 3 day road trip to Mudgee - Thanks!

Thanks for bringing us back here and having a closer look. Stopped a couple of times in the past but never had to get up close and personal before. Answers via email.

I have passed this spot for years - never realising what an unusual and unbelievable sight to be seen.
Amazing - thanks for making me stop !

Wow! This is one of the most fascinating rock formations we've seen. We decided to make this cache our driver reviver stop on the way home from Dubbo and we're glad for stopping. Miss 12 was very excited, having recently learning about lava flow in science. Thanks for bringing us to something we would have otherwise missed!

Cool find!

On holidays and driving back to Brisbane after staring in Canberra. Stopped at this earth cache to do. Sent answers to CO. TFTEC

Great place to stop on our way back from Dubbo.
Thanks for the cache, without it we would never have known! It would be great to have a sign with some information on it so more people could find out about it.

What an interesting spot.
Great birds.
TFTC

On our way to the east we stopped here. What a nice and interesting place. We would have missed it without the cache. Thanks to DerLakaiMS for writing the email to the owner. Tftc Nico172 Legoman wanted to start climbing

On our drive from Coonabarabran close to the coast for the last days of our vacation we stopped at a few spots on the way. This was one of them, and an especially interesting one - you could say it is perpendicular to Giants Causeway (Northern Ireland) which we will visit in May... Thanks for pointing this great spot in an unexpected location out. TFTC from DerLakaiMS

yebo bella at waggy

by coincidence i had been in the area to celebrate mr52's birthday and on our way back to sydney , we decided to take a long loop back via hunter down and hunter upper, never been here and first time that i have seen horizontal basalt columns in australia (last time in iceland)
at GZ some cars and campers(?) parked but they did not mind me having a good look and a slight scramble up.
one of those areas i would never have visited without being led by a cacher
email had been sent to the CO

happy new year and
tftEarthCache

#3,901

This was the last joint cache of the day for me, bikerbuddy & Team Canary. We headed in different directions after this, with me and bikerbuddy taking Bylong Valley Way on a circuitous path towards home, and Canary heading to the Hunter.

We found the geological feature easily, and had an enjoyable time looking over it and figuring out some answers.

Bikerbuddy has sent all email with our answers on behalf of the three of us.

Thanks

The final find together for our road trip with bikerbuddy and Toriaz.

This was a really interesting spot and a great finish to the weekend.

A group email will follow shortly.

TFTC.

We'd spent most of the weekend with Canary, but this cache marked the turning point. He was off to his parents place with his better half, and Toriaz and I were about to turn south for a few more caches on our way back home via a backroad.

we parked the car next to the picnic table which had a lot of information about what people like, their phone numbers and other things like that. It was an education. From there, the columns were only a few metres away. I haven't seen this sport of thing often, and certainly not at an angle like this. We crawled around some of them doing some basic measurements and speculating about answers, before taking a few photographs for the record. An interesting spot. Thanks for showing us.

Nice quick find on the way home from a weekend in Hill end. Got to this one and there was a group standing infront of the gz. What a place. The group had a sheet of information on the cache and gave me it before leaving. They knew about geocaching but werent caching. TFTC

Great enjoyed drive on way to Dubbo for weekend with mum, meet ALL7 at here for a day, before ALL7 go another way to friend, myself another way to Dubbo...
WOW awesome interest about rocks... Nice view..
Permitted by CO to log in...
Thanks for bring us here ...

Great enjoyed drive on way to Earthcaches and meet Kamfindit at here for a day. KamFindit and her mum go to Dubbo for weekend.. Im go see friend at farm house for overnight... awesome interest about rocks.
Permitted by CO to log in... Tahnk bella at waggy...

Well not too brag too much mmaherinwa, but I do have the Geology degree and this was a fantastic site for someone like me. Real textbook stuff and well worth the visit. The questions were not any issue, but I still had to do the measuring and the counting.

For those with a spirit for adventure there is a similar site up in Queensland called Mount Scoria (Scoria GCGNKG) it is just outside Thangool near Biloela.

Happy caching and thanks for this great cache bella_at_waggy
Also forgot to say thanks for making this my 200th find.

Unfortunately a Bachelor of Geology is not among my qualifications so I had a lot of trouble answering these questions. However, I had a stab at the answers, was not correct, but was allowed to log the find. The cache is a very interesting one and I'm glad I made the slight diversion off the highway to visit this geological site. Thanks for the cache bella_at_waggy and thanks for allowing me to log this find despite my feeble attempts at the answers. I'll post my photo in due course.