The Pinnacles
Limestone Spires in a Yellow Desert
schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026
Thousands of weathered limestone columns rising from the yellow sand of Nambung National Park, two hours north of Perth. Formed over tens of thousands of years from the seashell remains and plant roots that built the underlying limestone bed.
The Pinnacles are a field of thousands of weathered limestone columns rising from the yellow sand of Nambung National Park, two hours north of Perth. Most are between one and three metres tall, but the largest reach roughly 3.5 metres. They are the eroded cores of an ancient limestone bed that formed from windblown shell sand cementing together over tens of thousands of years.
The origin of the Pinnacles is still debated. The most widely accepted theory is that plant roots from a forest of trees, growing on top of the calcified dunes, created vertical channels in the soft limestone. After the trees died and the soil washed away, the columns of harder rock were left standing. Other theories suggest they may be the remains of ancient termite mounds or stalagmites.
Nambung National Park covers 178 square kilometres of coastal heath and dunes. There is a short loop drive through the Pinnacles desert and a separate walking track. Sunrise and sunset are the most photogenic times. The wildflower season from August to October adds colour to the surrounding heath.
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- 00 1737 Nambung National Park - Westaustralien.jpg · W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1184 Nambung National Park.jpg · W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nambung National Park The Pinnacles.JPG · BoundaryRider · CC BY-SA 3.0
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