Landforms and Lands

Key Inquiry question: How will the Undarra Caves be preserved from human and environmental impacts for future generations.

Sub question 1: Sub question 2: What geomorphic process went into creating the Undarra caves?

Sub question 2: How can the Government stop humans from damaging the Undarra caves?

Sub question 3: How can the Government protect the Undarra Caves from being weathered down or eroded for future generations?

The Undarra Lava Tubes are located in North Queensland and is 1,340 km away from Brisbane (See figure 2). The lava tubes are 340 meters in diameter and are 50 meters deep. They were formed 190,000 years ago and are made out of a volcanic rock. They were created when the Undarra volcano erupted and caused lava to flow 90km on a NW to SE axis and 60km on a SW to NE axis. Due to this, 23 cubic kilometres of lava was estimated to have come from the volcano. The lava tubes are formed when the lava flowed, melting a cylinder through the rock and leaving a cave where the outer crust of the lava cooled which is what keeps it from collapsing (“Lava Tubes”)(see figure 1).