3B YEARS AGO
Microbial mats and stromatolites began to form in the extreme heat and water salinity as bacteria clumped together and calcified.
2B YEARS AGO
Cyanobacteria in microbial mats breathed oxygen into the atmosphere, influencing the evolution of complex life forms.
2M - 10K YEARS AGO
Red sand (tinted by a coating of iron oxide) collected over the land, and was shaped into dunes by the wind and river. It cemented into Peron sandstone.
1M - 10K YEARS AGO
White sand made up of broken shells, corals, and skeletons was deposited on top of the Peron sandstone in many areas, creating Tamala limestone.
10K - 8K YEARS AGO
Land access to Dirk Hartog, Dorre, and Benier Islands were cut off due to rising sea levels. Birridas were also filled with saline waters, creating lakes which would later dry out leaving powdery gypsum.
10K - 5K YEARS AGO
Earthquakes caused the formation of the Zuytdorp cliffs due to the land shifting on a fault line.
6K - 3K YEARS AGO
Dorre and Benier Islands were separated from each other due to rising sea levels.