Undara Lava Tubes

Formed 190,000 years ago when Undara Volcano had a slow but extended eruption (months to a year - think milk boiling over, not a soda water bottle eruption). The lava flowed out at walking pace across and area of 1550 square kilometres with a spread of 160k in a NW direction.
The slow moving lava cools across the top, but the flow below keeps moving cutting into the bedrock leaving a void above the flow. When the flow stops, the tunnel empties and the tube remains. Over time sections of the tube collapse, and have captured small pockets of ancient Remnant Dry Rainforest. (Lots of other stuff going on as well).
The longest tube was just over 100km.

We then walked the rim of Kalkani crater which was a different volcano that went boom.

There were 164 volcanic centres in this region. This is a story of two. What an amazing country!

Anyway - it was bloody incredible.

There was no evidence of Aboriginal habitation in the caves. The last eruption was only 20,000 years ago, well within their period of occupation, so perhaps the stories handed down said “stay away”. European occupation resulted in an entire generation of children being removed, as well as widespread dislocation of families. There is just nobody left to share their stories..Read more