The Alum Cliffs are a section of
cliffed coast
A cliffed coast, also called an abrasion coast, is a form of coast where the action of marine waves has formed steep cliffs that may or may not be precipitous. It contrasts with a flat or alluvial coast.
Formation
In coastal areas in whic ...
facing the
Derwent Estuary and
Storm Bay along the suburbs of
Taroona
Taroona is a major residential suburb approximately 15 minutes drive from the centre of Hobart, Tasmania on the scenic route between Hobart and Kingston. Although on the edges of the City of Hobart, Taroona is actually part of the municipality ...
,
Bonnet Hill, and
Kingston Beach,
Tasmania, Australia
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
. Composed of
Permian
The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Pale ...
mudstone, the cliff formation stretches for between
Hinsby Beach and Tyndall Beach at Kingston Beach. The cliff face reaches heights of up to above sea level and has vistas of the Derwent Estuary, Storm Bay,
South Arm and
Bruny Island
Bruny Island ( Nuenonne: Lunawanna-alonnah) is a island located off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia. The island is separated from the Tasmanian mainland by the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, and its east coast lies within the Tasm ...
.
History
The first reference of the ''Alum Cliffs'' namesake was documented in 1847.
Geology
The Alum Cliffs are made of Permian mudstone, containing
pyrite
The mineral pyrite (), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral.
Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue giv ...
. Once oxidised, the pyrite produces the chemical compound
alum
An alum () is a type of chemical compound, usually a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminium with the general formula , where is a monovalent cation such as potassium or ammonium. By itself, "alum" often refers to potassium alum, with t ...
.
Recreation
The Alum Cliffs track is a popular (2.5 hour) return walking track frequented by locals and tourists. A small track was initially developed in the 1970s and formally developed as part of Australia's
Bicentennial celebrations in 1988.
[
In 2018, a council proposal was put forward to upgrade the track to facilitate mountain biking.]
Access
The Alum Cliffs track is accessible via Tyndall Beach at Kingston Beach and the Channel Highway
The Channel Highway is a regional highway that travels south from Hobart To Huonville, Tasmania, Australia. The Channel Highway starts from the end of Sandy Bay Road and travels south toward Huonville via Taroona, Kingston, Huntingfield, Ma ...
.
References
{{tasmania-geo-stub
Cliffs of Australia
Coastline of Tasmania