When most travelers think of Australia, the water attractions seem to get all the attention. The Great Barrier Reef and some of the best waves on the planet draw millions of visitors a year to this country in the South Pacific. And rightfully so; Australia is blessed with some of the most diverse marine life and habitats in the world. However, there are also a number of popular tourist attractions which are every bit as mystical and interesting as their underwater counterparts.

Among the more-enchanting landscapes to see when travelling to Western Australia are the sand and rock formations found in the Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park. Desert lovers and photographers alike flock to this protected area to see the mysterious rock formations which seem to poke through the sandy desert surface. Scattered across the desert landscape are thousands of limestone pillars pinnacle above the surrounding yellow-sand surface, leaving travelers in awe at the unique landscape that lies in front of them. When experienced in the morning or evening hours, the shadow formations add the mysterious nature of Pinnacle Desert.

The limestone pillars, some of which stand 15 feet tall, are said to have formed over thousands of years as the solid limestone desert bed that existed many years ago eroded away, leaving behind only the strongest sections of stone. It’s also believed the shifting desert sands exposed the many columns only relatively recently.

With more than 250,000 visitors per year, Pinnacles desert is no longer the undiscovered treasure that is was as recently as the 1960’s. It was then that Pinnacles Desert was added the existing Nambung National Park and quickly became another popular reason for tourists to visit the already popular national park. Today travels are encouraged to visit between August and October as the weather is most comfortable and many desert plants are in bloom. While there are many ways to experience the park, 4×4 and walking guided tours are two good options. On just about any tours, don’t expect to see too many animals. Since most desert animals are nocturnal, kangaroos and emus are about all you’ll see and can usually be seen in the morning and evening hours just about any day.

Next time you make the trek to Western Australia and need some time to dry off from a diving or surfing adventure, checkout Pinnacles Desert and the Nambung National Park.