Horizontal Falls
- Olivia Koch -
Described by David Attenborough as “one of the greatest natural wonders of the world," Horizontal Falls is one of Australia's astonishing natural geographical landforms, with incredible tidal power and surrounding pristine wilderness. There are only two horizontal waterfalls in the world and both of them are situated deep within Talbot Bay in the Buccaneer Archipelago of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, 16.3800° South and 123.9592° East, approximately two hundred and fifty five kilometres NNE from Broome, Western Australia. This spectacular and unique tourist destination, has a yearly income of over twenty million dollars in tourist revenue, for Western Australia.
Though Horizontal Falls is considered a waterfall (technically termed “pinch rapids”), this natural wonder actually consists of a pair of gorges or openings in the McLarty Range. The twin gorges are situated on two parallel ridges, approximately three hundred metres apart. The most seaward gorge is approximately twenty metres in width (located 16.2235° South and 123.5734° East), and the second gorge is approximately ten metres wide (16.2259° South and 123.5729° East). What makes this landform so unique and distinctive, is that large amounts of water are pushed through these gorges, by powerful tidal waves, producing spectacular temporary waterfalls up to five metres in height. The direction of the flow of the water changes as the tide changes. When the falling or rising tides occurs, the water builds up in in front of the gorges faster than it can flow through them. The massive tidal currents create a spectacular waterfall effect, as the water rushes through the gorges, down to the lower levels on the other side of the ridgelines. Then when the tide changes (approximately every six and a half hours), the process is reversed and repeated in the opposite direction. On a slack tide, (the time between high and low tides), it is possible to drive boats through the twin gorges to the bay behind. These spectacular gorges have created two natural reservoirs, approximately between six and eight kilometres long, and are connected to the sea by two small gorges.
Though Horizontal Falls is considered a waterfall (technically termed “pinch rapids”), this natural wonder actually consists of a pair of gorges or openings in the McLarty Range. The twin gorges are situated on two parallel ridges, approximately three hundred metres apart. The most seaward gorge is approximately twenty metres in width (located 16.2235° South and 123.5734° East), and the second gorge is approximately ten metres wide (16.2259° South and 123.5729° East). What makes this landform so unique and distinctive, is that large amounts of water are pushed through these gorges, by powerful tidal waves, producing spectacular temporary waterfalls up to five metres in height. The direction of the flow of the water changes as the tide changes. When the falling or rising tides occurs, the water builds up in in front of the gorges faster than it can flow through them. The massive tidal currents create a spectacular waterfall effect, as the water rushes through the gorges, down to the lower levels on the other side of the ridgelines. Then when the tide changes (approximately every six and a half hours), the process is reversed and repeated in the opposite direction. On a slack tide, (the time between high and low tides), it is possible to drive boats through the twin gorges to the bay behind. These spectacular gorges have created two natural reservoirs, approximately between six and eight kilometres long, and are connected to the sea by two small gorges.
Horizontal Falls is not the typical type of environment to sustain oceanic corals, as the water is murky, and the light doesn't penetrate the water's surface. Yet there is still a significant growth of corals in the area. At low tide, a large sandbank is exposed between the gorges, revealing the coral near the walls of the falls.
Horizontal Falls is a part of the McLarty Range, which itself is one point eight billion years old. The range is made of sandstone, quartzite, siltstone, shale and dolomite with plentiful stromatolites (a mound built up of layers of lime-producing cyanobacteria and trapped sediment, found in Precambrian rocks).
Horizontal Falls is a part of the McLarty Range, which itself is one point eight billion years old. The range is made of sandstone, quartzite, siltstone, shale and dolomite with plentiful stromatolites (a mound built up of layers of lime-producing cyanobacteria and trapped sediment, found in Precambrian rocks).