The Amazing Undara Volcanic National Park in Australia
When it comes to visiting untouched travel destinations, Australia is one of best places to be as there are a large number of natural and unexplored travel spots worth visiting. One such destination is the Undara Volcanic National Park, which is marked for its incredible lava tubes which are formed by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago. The Undara Volcanic National Park in North Queensland, Australia is a massive system of Lava Tubes, which are one of the most astonishing and untouched travel spots in Australia. The Undara National Park is best for those interested in nature watching and similar activities. The lava tubes at the Undara Volcanic National Park are one of the longest of its kind in the world and are more of an untouched and unexplored travel destination in Australia.
The Undara Volcanic National Park is home to extinct volcanoes and one can easily walk around and explore the Lava Tubes without fear of any danger. The areas surrounding the National park is also rich in minerals such as moonstone, topaz, peridot, aquamarine, quartz, garnet, and gold. The park is home to the remains of the longest lava flow originating from a single Volcano.
The lava tubes in Undara are an amazing sight to behold and are believed to have resulted from volcanic activity around 190,000 years ago, when the rivers of lava confined to a valley resulting in the formation of lava tubes. The lava tubes are considered to be the longest on the planet and during the course of time, the weaker sections of the lava tube roofs collapsed resulting in the formation of caves and depressions. You can see around 50 caves of this type which are yet another major attraction of this place.
Usually the lava tubes at Undara are as wide as 20 metres and as high as to 10 metres and the location of these tubes are very much within the McBride volcanic province which contains over 160 extinct volcanoes, cones and vents. The most important part of this is that you cannot reach the tubes and walk into them on your own due to the sheer danger of rock falls and other potential hazards. So if you are serious about visiting this amazing travel spot in Australia, then you need to take a licensed tour. Visiting this place without prior permission might also force you to pay a large fine.
The major danger associated with the lava tubes at Undara is that there are lots of holes where people tend to disappear. This can be avoided to some extend by taking the help of a spotlight which is usually available with your tour guide. At times, most of the tubes are very much dangerous for other reasons such as the high level of carbon dioxide levels the cave which can even be threatening to human lives.
For those who wish to explore these dangerous and adventurous lava tubes at Undara Volcanic National Park, it is better to hire a tour guide, which is easily available. To test the carbon dioxide levels inside the lava tubes, the tour guide usually uses a cigarette lighter for the same. So for your own safety better not to visit this place alone, rather take an experienced tour guide along with you to avoid potential dangers.
The Undara Volcanic National Park is just around hours’ drive from Cairns in North Queensland, and you can either drive on your own or hire a taxi to help you reach this national park in Australia. The distance from Cairns to Undara Volcanic National Park is almost 300 kilometers. The journey from Cairns to Undara Volcanic National Park will help you in witnessing some of the most amazing natural beauties of Australia and better avoid a nap for future regrets.
When it comes to accommodation in and around Undara National Park, the first thing that comes to mind is the Restored Railway Carriages which is actually a luxurious railway carriage with all the basic facilities and amenities. Camping facilities are also available not so far away from the National Park. You can also avail the facilities offered by various lodges and resorts which are few kilometers away from the National Park.