Cresta Valley and Clouds, Victoria, Australia

(Click image to enlarge)

A late spring weather system brings high winds and rain to Victoria's Cresta Valley. The snow is gone but this alpine landscape is just beginning to wake up from its winter dormancy.

The Cresta Valley is a window into the region's Devonian era (420 to 360 million years ago) granite landscape. The area is defined by a massive uplifted granite intrusion shaped by alpine weathering, unique boulder fields, and Quaternary period glacial activity (begun 2.6 million years ago) that carved the surrounding valleys. The valley floor features flat, organic-rich sphagnum bogs that sit atop the ancient bedrock, interspersed with glades of snow gums.