There are a number of craters on the Atherton Tableland with Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine the most popular.
I have done a little research and this is a novice’s explanation of what I have found. There are three types of volcanic craters on the Atherton Tableland – Composite, Shield and Cinder Cone. They have been formed by lava eruptions out of the cylindrical vent over many years. The deposit of ash and lava has shaped the cone. Cones may tall and steep, shorter with a gentle slope and some made of different volcanic materials.
When you visit, try to cram in a visit to MOUNT HYPIPAMEE CRATER. Well worth the fifteen minute walk from the Crater carpark. In my research I found Mount Hypipamee Crater is not one of the three types above. Why, it is not the result of an explosion/eruption of lava. Rather it is the result of an explosion of gas – a big bang. To appreciate the magnitude of the explosion through basalt rock, in recent times large pieces of basalt the size of a refrigerator have been around the crater perimeter.
See you at Mount Hypipamee.
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