Formation
The spectacular sandstone battlements of the Kennedy Range are in fact a huge mesa, an elevated sandstone plateau pushed up from an ancient sea bed.
The rocks that comprise the Range were originally deposited beneath the ocean, compressed to form sandstone, then faulted, uplifted and tilted towards the west.
Over the past 150 million years this uplifted plateau eroded into an isolated range that is today known as the Kennedy Ranges. It extends 75 kilometres in a northerly direction from near Gascoyne Junction. The plateau varies in width between 12 and 25 kilometres.
The sedimentary rock of the eastern escarpment has evidence of fossilised marine creatures. The red sand dunes on the top of the range are thinly covered with shrubland and spinifex grassland. The western side of the range is lower, not as steep as the east ‘battlements’ and more extensively dissected by watercourses than the east. Spring water trickling from the range creates numerous oases along the margin.
Naming
The first European to explore the area was Francis Thomas Gregory (1821-1888) whose expedition reached the Range in 1858. Gregory named the range after the Governor of Western Australia at the time, Arthur Edward Kennedy (1810-1883).
The reports of the various trips, tours and travels on the Adventures website have a lot of information about place names – their naming and features – toponymy. More information.
© Kim Epton 2019-2024
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