Tasmans Arch – Eaglehawk Neck, Australia - Atlas Obscura
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Tasmans Arch

Eaglehawk Neck, Australia

A natural rock bridge towers above the sea. 

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The arch was formed by thousands of years of erosion. Obscuravibes (Atlas Obscura User)
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Tasmans Arch is an impressive, towering bridge-like natural rock feature that is situated on the edge of the Tasman National Park. Visitors to the site have the opportunity to look down in awe at the spectacular views of the cavern-like hole that was a sea cave before thousands of years of erosion by the rugged Tasman Sea. Arches such as this one are formed where vertical joints (cracks in the rock) act as a point of weakness. The pressure of water alongside compressed sand, rocks and air dislodges parts of the cliff, gradually forming these structures. 

The arch is named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, the Dutch explorer who is known as the first European seafarer to reach New Zealand, Fiji and Van Diemen’s Land (what is now known as Tasmania). The cliffs in the Tasman National Park are unique as they are made of dolerite, a rock that one can only find in Australia. 

The Tasman National Park forms part of the South-east Tasmania Important Bird Area, thanks to the ecological importance of the birdlife found here. Rare birds such as the swift parrot and the interestingly-named forty-spotted pardalote can be spotted in the area.

Know Before You Go

Tasmans Arch is accessible 24 hours a day. The site can be accessed from the car park at Tasmans Arch Lookout. From the lot, there are short, wheelchair-accessible paths to lookout points.

There is also a short signposted walk along the coastline with great views of Tasmans Arch. 

bridge australia rock formations bridges geological oddities geology
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