Undara Lava Tubes

The Undara Lava Tubes lie within the Undara Volcanic National Park in the Gulf Savannah region of far north Queensland, about 275 kilometres south-west of Cairns and 150 kilometres west of the Atherton Tablelands. The tubes were formed approximately 190,000 years ago during a massive eruption of the Undara shield volcano, which sent flows of highly fluid basalt running down existing river valleys. As the outer surface of the lava cooled and solidified, the molten interior continued to drain, leaving behind hollow tubes of extraordinary length.

The tube system extends for over 100 kilometres in total, making it one of the longest lava tube networks on the planet. Individual tubes range from a few metres to over 20 metres in diameter, and sections of the roof have collapsed in places to create fertile pockets of vine thicket forest in the surrounding dry savannah woodland. These collapsed sections, known as archways, are ecological islands where tropical plants and animals thrive in conditions markedly different from the surrounding landscape.

Access to the tubes is by guided tour only, operated by the Undara Experience, a family-run tourism operation that has managed the site since 1990. The standard tour visits two or three of the largest accessible tubes and explains the volcanic geology, the formation process and the ecology of the archway vine thickets. Wildlife spotlighting tours at night are popular in the dry season, with insectivorous bats emerging from the tubes in clouds at dusk.

The Undara Experience also operates heritage-style accommodation in restored railway carriages from the old Cairns to Forsayth railway line, parked in a bush setting near the tube entrances. There is a campground, a restaurant and a swimming pool on the property. The site is remote but well maintained and accessible by sealed road from the Gulf Developmental Road.

The best time to visit is during the dry season from April to October, when the access roads are reliable and the evenings are cool. Summer (November to March) brings heavy rain that can close the unsealed sections of the Gulf road network. The park is a standard inclusion on a Savannah Way road trip between Cairns and the Gulf of Carpentaria.