Camping at Undara

Lava Tubes And Outback Views When Camping At Undara

The Undara Volcanic National Park is home to the world’s longest lava tube cave systems. Its story began about 190,000 years ago, when the Undara Volcano erupted and poured out enough lava to fill Sydney Harbour three times over. There’s no telling how long the eruption lasted, it could have been anywhere from three weeks to a decade, but we do know it lasted a while. Long enough for the outer edge of the flow to cool, while the interior kept flowing. This is what created the tubes, which became exposed thousands of years ago when earthquake activity caused sections of the roof to collapse. Of the 23 countries around the world with lava tubes, this system is believed to be the longest of its kind. Its name ‘Undara’ is Aboriginal meaning ‘long way’.

“We’ve visited the Undara lava tubes a few times over the years and I’m always impressed by their beauty and the passion and knowledge of the guides who take you there. They provide a lot of information regarding the creation of the lava tubes, their ‘discovery’ and the interesting plants and animals that live here. To me the colours, contours and patterns of the tubes’ ceilings and walls are otherworldly – almost lunar in appearance. The scope and scale of the tubes is impressive, and you would never know their presence by looking at the largely flat surrounds of savannah grasslands. Apparently more than 70 lava tubes and caves have been found within the park, but only a few are open to the public on guided tours.” – Julie Johnston

Camping And Exploring Discovery Resorts – Undara

We checked in to a powered site at Discovery Resorts – Undara for 2 nights and 3 days. The camping area is extensive with hard, flat dirt surfaces. There are well established trees for shade and the local animals are clearly very familiar with sharing their space with guests. This makes for some special encounters, and we were lucky enough to have a wallaby stop by our caravan several times during our stay. The communal amenities were well maintained and included a camp kitchen, laundry, toilets and showers. There’s also a lovely little swimming pool and a bar and restaurant on site, if you want to take a break from cooking. The menu at Undara’s Fettler’s Iron Pot Bistro is limited but does the job. When we visited in 2023 lunch options included soup, wraps, toasted sandwiches, a salad and fish and chips. Dinner was more substantial and included options for steak, ribs, kangaroo loin, pork lion, barramundi, chicken schnitzel and vegetarian curry. There were also entrees and desserts.

On the property itself there are 8 walking tracks and trails to choose from, which range from short walks around the lodge to longer and more challenging tracks. As well as giving you the opportunity to explore the savannah surroundings, you are almost guaranteed to spot kangaroos, wallabys and wallaroos, not to mention a diverse array of birdlife. We also took the opportunity to check out the nearby Kalkani Crater Rim Walk (review), which is a 15 minute drive from Discovery Resorts – Undara.

Other Tours And Activities You Can Do At Undara

You can only access the lava tubes and caves in the Undara Volcanic National Park on guided tour. When you are staying at Discovery Resorts – Undara, the tour departure point is clearly sign-posted and is adjacent to Fettler’s Iron Pot Bistro. Here you are met by a guide who drives you to the tubes and caves. An informative commentary is provided throughout the tour. On our 2023 visit to Undara, we did the 2 hour Archway Explorer Tour, which included a few tubes. The Arch and Ewamian Tubes, which are wreathed in lush, vine-thicket rainforest, and the Road Tube. Access to all tubes was on comfortable timber walkways. At the last tube we walked a little way into the system, leaving the daylight behind and relying on our guide’s torchlight. All of the ones we visited were impressive. There is also a 2 hour Wind Tunnel Explorer Tour, which involves climbing over rocks and uneven surfaces. We have not done this tour.

Other tours and activity options during your stay at Discovery Resorts – Undara include the Wildlife at Sunset Tour and Bush Breakfast. We have done both of these in the past, and do recommend them. The Wildlife at Sunset Tour departs Discovery Resorts – Undara in a coach, which takes you Sunset Bluff, a large granite outcrop in the park. After a short walk, you’ll enjoying sweeping views and a golden sunset over a few glasses of complimentary champagne and some nibbles. As twilight deepens, you head to Barkers Tube where you might be lucky enough to witness the emergence of thousands of tiny microbats. The Bush Breakfast is the perfect way to start the day, especially as someone else is cooking, cleaning and preparing the billy tea. The last time we did the Bush Breakfast, several cheeky kookaburras came swooping down to snare some sausages from unsuspecting guests. All tours and activities should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment, as there are limited numbers available.