Welcome to the special place that is Niagara Dam, a place where history, nature and geology interact to provide a unique experience of 'outback' Australia. This is a free camping site with plenty of room and shade.
The Macquarie Dictionary defines a 'breakaway' as 'a gully formed by erosion'. Breakaways are lines of hard-capped rock and colour filled cliffs bounding flat topped tablelands. They are a notable and much loved feature of the goldfields. Spread everywhere throughout Niagara Dam nature reserve is quartz. For centuries prospectors have searched for gold. They knew that whenever gold was found that quartz was usually present in abundance as well.
Quartz reefs and veins go way back in time. They are present in the oldest rock formations and are most abundant in ancient formations such as the Yilgarn Block or plateau. The plateau encompasses most of the south-western portion of western Australia and includes the area of Niagara Dam.
The Yilgarn Block has been subjected to weathering processes for some 250 million years. There are many soil types in the region and those of any softness have gradually eroded through the ceaseless action of wind and water. Only the areas with a hard laterite top have resisted this constant grinding and reshaping.
Where the crust of these laterite layers has crumbled the hard top remains to forms a ‘mesa’ while the continuing erosion of the softer soil and rock below forms an undercut, or a steep ‘breakaway’.
The Breakaway Trail commences at the coords and is about 1.6km long. It follows the rim of the breakaway for about 700m. The trail is well sign-posted with steel markers located every 70m and some information boards. Be sure to read the information. The cliff faces can be fragile so stay well back from the edge.
Just for fun... along the trail there is a cairn if you feel like adding to it.
You may log this Earthcache straight away but then please email your answers to the questions to the CO. We will contact you ONLY if your answers need extra work. Logs with no answers sent will be deleted.
1. Stop along the Breakaway Trail on a small descent at S29 24.115 E121 25.371. Turn to look at the edge of the breakaway just a metre away from you. Describe the geological feature you can see and its stage of formation as a breakaway.
2. What is the colloquial term given to quartz?
3. What is the chemical name and symbol for quartz?
4. Please post a photo of part of the Niagara Dam nature reserve with your log if you wish. If you are in the photo that would be even better.
Enjoy your visit to these Breakaways - stay away from the edges and please take care of this ancient but fragile environment.