Set in the Gulf Savannah country, in Tropical North Queensland, Undara is as ancient and alluring as the continent itself. The Undara Lava Tubes stand as silent sentinels to our pre-history. Here you can walk in the path of a volcano. It’s time to visit.
Leave the lush Wet Tropics rainforest of Cairns for the accessible outback where spectacular gorges, lava tubes and wildlife can be seen along the Savannah Way. Here are our top 10 picks.
West of Atherton, in far north Queensland, lies a wonderland of geological delights – the legacies of ancient coral reefs, startling alluvial deposits and Earth’s longest volcanic lava flow.
Just six hours from Cairns, Undara Volcanic National Park is named for the forces that created its dramatic geological formations
In far north Queensland lies a veritable wonderland of geological delights, including the world’s longest volcanic lava flow.
Beginning 190,000 years ago, Undara Volcano in far north Queensland erupted, not with a bang but a long, seething gush of lava. Undara disgorged a colossal 23 cu.km of molten mayhem. It spread across the plains and filled ancient river valleys to the brim. Over time, the lava atop these deeper valleys cooled to form a dark, hard crust. Meanwhile, below decks, the liquid lava kept surging downstream. In essence, as it moved on, the lava fabricated its own insulated pipeline. By the time Undara was a spent force its farthest run had travelled 160km. In recent geology, no other single volcano on Earth has a longer lava flow. Visitors can see the remnants of the lava pipeline at Undara Volcanic National Park. Nearby the limestone formations of Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park and the distinct sandstone ravines of the region are also a delight to geology lovers.