In fact, the continent is moving northward at a rate of about 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) every year. The collision between Australia and Asia may seem distant, but it’s a process that has been happening throughout Earth’s history. The Unstoppable Force of Plate TectonicsThe inevitability of Australia’s collision with Asia highlights the unstoppable force of plate tectonics. Earth’s continents are constantly shifting, though at a pace that is imperceptible in the short term. The collision between Australia and Asia will be another chapter in this long history of planetary change.