Volcanic landforms as tourist attractions in Australian national parks and other protected areas

Abstract

[Extract] The Australian east coast has a large diversity of geological features including inactive remnants of volcanoes, many of them located in national parks or conservation areas. These areas of dormant or extinct volcanism offer an abundance of tourist destinations. In the north of Queensland large parts of the landscape are shaped by volcanic activity with over 60 renmant volcanoes in the Atherton Tablelands alone. The 'far north' offers various volcanic features including lava tubes, colunmar joints, cinder cones and maars. In southeast Queensland the Glasshouse Mountains are a well known landmark surrounded by a national park. On the New South Wales - Queensland border the Mt Warning caldera in the Tweed Valley is an impressive reminder of a volcanic past and further south the Warrumbungle National Park offers old vents at Crater Bluff, nature trails, lookouts and lava domes from Split Rock to the Breadknife and Belougery Spire.