Gave up on School today so we could get to Undara in time for our 1 o’clock lava tour. The Undara area has been in the Collins family for 6 generations, originally thought to be random caves the area is now known to have one of the longest lava tube systems in the world. In 1990 the family set up the Lodge using restored Railway carriages as accommodation. In 1992 the area was declared a National Park and the Collins family given a 75 year exclusive lease to continue the lodge – they still run cattle on properties further south.
We did the afternoon Volcano Valley tour with ‘Max’ visiting 4 sections of lava tube, afternoon tea at the base of Kalkani crater and a short walk to the bluff overlooking the area where the chain of volcanos can be seen. Being a small group Max took us off piste and down a small hole in the surface into a gapping cavern below. The first thing you noticed as we descended into the darkness was the smell. The smell of bat guano signalled some furry little creatures just ‘hangin around’; these bats are about the size of a mouse [with wings] and come to the surface every 3 days to feast on insects. We managed to get up close and personal with some of the specimens, much to the delight of the kids. Toby thought it was great fun to run ahead and hide around bluffs or just simply disappear. Up on the surface again it was back to camp for a late afternoon swim, and a BBQ dinner.
Undara Lava Lodge (powered $46/night)
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