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Environment and Heritage
Environment and Heritage

Geodiversity

Learn how rocks, minerals, soils and landforms are shaped over time.

 

What is geodiversity?

'Geodiversity' is the variety of rocks, minerals, soils and landforms, along with the processes that have shaped these features over millions of years. Mountains, caves, beaches, rivers, oceans, even the weather, are all elements of geodiversity.

Geodiversity provides the foundation for life: ecosystems, and the life forms within them, depend on bedrock, soils, landforms and other geological features and processes for their survival. It is also important in understanding the way in which many of the Earth's systems and processes work.

Geological features provide us with places to live, resources for industry, soils from which we grow food, water for consumption, opportunities for healing and places for recreation, worship, learning and inspiration.

  • View overlooking a rocky and grassy mountain ridge. The breadknife mountain is thin and flat, and there's another mountain peak visible.
    View of the Breadknife and Grand High Tops at sunset, Warrumbungle National Park
    View of the Breadknife and Grand High Tops at sunset, Warrumbungle National Park
    Image Credit: S Cottrell
  • The Breadknife, a tall, thin and flat mountain peak, against a blue sky in the Warrumbungle National Park
    Breadknife, Warrumbungle National Park, from the track above the Balor Hut on the Grand High Tops walk
    Breadknife Warrumbungle National Park, from the track above the Balor Hut on the Grand High Tops walk
    Image Credit: C Mukerjee
  • Woman sitting on a rock overlooking a steep gorge with a river running through it and trees either side.
    Fairlight Gorge, Glenbrook – Nepean lookout, Blue Mountains National Park
    Fairlight Gorge, Glenbrook - Nepean lookout, Blue Mountains National Park
    Image Credit: N Cubbin/DPE
  • Bushwalker wearing backpack Govetts Leap descent Rodriguez Pass Blue Mountains National Park
    A bushwalker takes the Govetts Leap descent, Rodriguez Pass, Blue Mountains National Park
    Govetts Leap descent Rodriguez Pass Blue Mountains National Park
    Image Credit: Aine Gliddon/DPE
  • An aerial view of a large river system the land changes colour from green grass to dark green, brown and sandy in the areas where there are mangroves and saltmarsh
    Aerial photograph of Macleay River with mangroves and saltmarshes
    Macleay River, mangrove and saltmarsh areas
    Image Credit: John Lugg/DPE
  • A T-Bar chair lift at Mount Perisher, Kosciuszko National Park
    Mount Perisher T-bar chairlift, Kosciuszko National Park
    Mount Perisher T-Bar chair lift, Kosciuszko National Park
    Image Credit: J Spencer/DPE
  • Looking towards a headland along Tallow Beach, Bouddi National Park
    Tallow Beach, Bouddi National Park
    Looking along Tallow Beach, Bouddi National Park
    Image Credit: J Yurasek/DPE
  • A view of black soil on level alluvial plains.
    Typical Class 1 land comprising deep unconstrained, well-structured, self-mulching Black Vertosols Black Earths on level alluvial plains
    Liverpool Plains NSW, Self-Mulching Vertosol (Black Earth) cropped under raised beds
    Image Credit: Fletcher Townsend/DCCEEW
  • The Walls of China sand dunes in the Mungo National Park
    The Walls of China, Mungo National Park, Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area
    The Walls of China, Mungo National Park
    Image Credit: Vision House Photography/DPE

Protecting and conserving our geodiversity

Often described as relics or fossils, geological features (our geodiversity) provide important evidence of past life and natural processes caused by air, water and living things. But human activities can have an impact on:

  • water quality
  • the properties and movement of water (hydrology)
  • the processes that form and develop soils
  • local wind patterns.

This often causes damage to or loss of these geological features.

The protection and conservation of geodiversity is a priority for the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water with the majority of the state's significant and iconic geological features protected in parks and reserves.

The department is committed to working with government departments, landholders, other organisations and the community to conserve and protect geodiversity.

Karst and caves

An important element of NSW geodiversity is karst landforms. 'Karst' is a type of landscape formed by water dissolving carbonate rock, such as limestone, to make features like gorges and caves.

Across New South Wales, there are more than 400 separate limestone deposits displaying features we expect to see in karst environments. Of these, about 100 contain caves large enough for a person.

Discover more about karst and cave environments and how we are protecting them.

More information