Visiting Undara safely

Sunset over Undara Volcanic National Park

Photo credit: Eleanor Collins © Queensland Government

Getting there and getting around

Map

• Undara Volcanic National Park map (PDF, 202.3KB)

Undara Volcanic National Park is about 300km by road south-west of Cairns. From Cairns, drive south along the Bruce Highway to Gordonvale. Turn right and follow the signs to the Atherton Tablelands, up the Gillies Range. The range road is 19km long and very winding. Once at the top of the range, continue on to Ravenshoe and then follow the signs to Mount Garnet. Continue towards Mount Surprise, passing through Forty Mile Scrub National Park (Savannah Way). The turn-off to Undara is 17km along the Gulf Developmental Road. Travel a further 6km to a fork in the road. Discovery Resort—Undara is 9km along the road on the right-hand side. To reach the Kalkani day-use area, turn left at the fork and travel 6km on an all-weather gravel road. All roads are suitable for conventional vehicles although the roads can be corrugated.

If travelling from Townsville head west along the Hervey Range Road for approximately 130km, then turn right onto the Gregory Developmental Road. Travel a further 174km through Greenvale to the Lynd Junction. From here, take the Kennedy Highway towards Mount Garnet and turn left at the Gulf Developmental Road (Savannah Way). Continue on as above.

See the Department of Transport and Main Roads for information about road and travel conditions. Weather forecasts are available from the Bureau of Meteorology.

Access to the lava tubes is only available by guided tour. Book your guided tours through Discovery Resorts—Undara or Discovery Parks—Mount Surprise. Concealed holes where the tubes have collapsed, a confusing landscape, and high carbon dioxide levels in some tubes, make the lava tube area dangerous for visitors without an experienced guide. The Kalkani Crater rim is accessible to the public without a tour guide.

For more information see the tourism information links and park alerts.

Wheelchair accessibility

The Kalkani day-use area has wheelchair-accessible toilets. Road Cave has ramps and a lift that can be accessed as part of a guided tour booked through Discovery Resorts–Undara or Discovery Parks–Mount Surprise. For more information, see the tourism information links.

Staying safe

Make safety a priority when visiting this national park.

• Wear sunscreen, a hat, protective clothing and sturdy footwear.
• Always carry water and try to walk in the cooler part of the day.
• Take a track map from Discovery Resorts–Undara on all walks and stay on the walking tracks and trails provided.
• Walk in daylight hours only.
• In an emergency, phone Triple Zero (000).
• Mobile phone coverage is unreliable in most of the park.

For more information, please read the general guidelines on safety in parks and forests.

Before you visit

Essentials to bring

Preparation is key to a safe and enjoyable visit. Make sure you bring:

• drinking water
• sunscreen, enclosed footwear, hat and sunglasses
• insect repellent and suitable clothing to protect against insect bites
• rubbish bags.

Opening hours

Undara Volcanic National Park is open 24 hours a day. Temporary seasonal closures may be encountered. In very wet periods, sections of caves may be flooded and closed to visitors. Access to the lava tubes is only by guided tour booked through Discovery Resorts–Undara or Discovery Parks–Mount Surprise. To protect breeding bats, access to the Wind Tunnel Complex and Barkers Cave is restricted from November–February. See park alerts for up-to-date information.

Permits and fees

Permits are required for commercial or organised events. View permits and fees for further information.

Pets

Domestic animals are not permitted in Undara Volcanic National Park.

Climate and weather

The weather at Undara Volcanic National Park is hot, humid and can be very wet from late October through to late March. September and early October are generally dry and hot. The drier, cooler months of April to August are considered the preferred time to visit. For more information see the tourism information links.

Weather forecasts are available from the Bureau of Meteorology.

Fuel and supplies

Fuel and supplies are available at Mount Surprise, Mount Garnet and Discovery Resorts–Undara. For more information, see the tourism information links.