Massive
underwater limestone towers have been found in line with Australia’s famous ’12
Apostle’ ocean rock formations, in a surprise discovery that scientists said
was previously thought impossible.

The five underwater
columns, dubbed by scientists the ‘Drowned Apostles’, are four to six metres high
and continue the chain of the ’12 Apostles’, which are up to 40 metres tall off
the coast of the southern state of Victoria and a major tourist attraction.

It is believed the
underwater towers were submerged and preserved by rapidly rising sea levels at
the end of the last Ice Age around 11,000 years ago.

“This is the
first time in the world we have seen underwater sea stacks. They don’t last
long due to erosion and according to all the textbooks they shouldn’t be
there,” said Melbourne University geologist David Kennedy.

Sea levels are
believed to have risen during peak melting points at the end of the last Ice
Age, fast enough to preserve the shape of the unique rock formations which are
believed to date back around 60,000 years, said Kennedy.

“They most
likely used to be taller but were shaved down by the rising sea. The sea rise
was so rapid the waves just went over the top and they didn’t have time to
knock them over,” said Kennedy.

The ‘Drowned
Apostles’ discovery was published in the Journal of Costal Research by
postgraduate student Rhiannon Bezore, who along with Kennedy, stumbled upon the
find when analysing previously unstudied sonar mapping of the area.

A major draw-card
for tourists along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, the ’12 Apostles’ have had
their numbers reduced over the years due to rapid erosion. The most recent
collapse in 2009 left only seven remaining columns.

– Reuters