Thursday, 19 February, 2026 / Edition 97

Western Australia’s capital city of Perth is a true Mecca for geologists. Its vibrant mining sector is the power behind the state’s economy and most skyscrapers of the skyline. The city offers amazing job opportunities, views, and jumps in geological time. Let's take a look.

Christin Schultz

Exploration Geologist

@the.happy.geo

Faultlines, Gold Deposits, and More

The Darling Scarp with the Perth skyline in the distance. Courtesy of Christin Schulz

Perth is located along the north-south trending Darling Scarp.

About the scarp:

• It is a major faultline separating the Archean Yilgarn Craton in the east from the Phanerozoic Perth Basin in the west.
• The Yilgarn Craton is famous for hosting most of Australia’s gold deposits.
• The age difference between the two is more than 2 billion years.
• Further south and north, we also find remnants of the Pinjarra Orogen under the Perth Basin.
• This orogen experienced the formation of the supercontinents Rodinia and Gondwana.

Learn more about the geology of Perth here.

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Plan Your Visit

Blackwall Reach Cliffs. Courtesy of Christin Schulz. 

There are so many fun spots for geo-enthusiasts to visit in Perth! Make sure to plan your visit with enough time to see everything you hope to see. Here are some of my notes to help you decide.

Trip tips:

• The Darling Scarp presents its best side during sunset from the Lesmurdie Falls in the Perth hills.
  • It offers a spectacular view over the Archean ridge into the Perth Basin, with the city skyline and setting sun in the background. Just be aware that “waterfall” might be an overexaggeration for the leftover puddles in summer.
• I recommend going for a walk along the Blackwall Reach Cliffs. You might find ancient tree roots turned into limestone while you enjoy the mediterranean flair of the area that is still in the middle of a major city.
• As Western Australia is not quite a small state, the museums come in handy to see all the stunning rocks of the area. My favorites are:
  • The rock collection in the Western Australia Museum has a stunning tunnel of thin section photos and massive banded iron formations.
  • The Perth Mint not only features native gold, big nuggets, and live pouring of a gold bar, but it is also home to the world's biggest gold bullion coin, weighing 1 Tonne.

• • The hidden Edward de Courcy Clarke Earth Science <useum is located on the Campus of the University of Western Australia, inside beautiful historic buildings. While small, it's greatly scientific, and you might encounter fellow geologists or rock lovers.

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An Inside Look: Sunset at Lesmurdie Falls

Courtesy of Christin Schulz

Shining sunlight on the past: The water in the Lesmurdie Falls runs over granitoids in the Archean Yilgarn Craton, as the sun sets behind the city in the Perth Basin. This is a sight you have to see!

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