Crater Lakes National Park

The park contains two volcanically-formed lakes, Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham. In geological terms, the lake is a maar, a volcanic crater formed by massive explosions resulting from superheating of groundwater. The crater has filled with water, forming a lake 65m deep. A number of rainforest communities can be seen along the 3km track encircling the lakes.

A notophyll vine forest is one of 19 major types of rainforest in Australia. Around Lake Eacham, this forest has strong vines, woody epiphytes and only a few buttressed trees. Stinging trees and thorny vines like Wait-a-While are often found in disturbed rainforests. Protect yourself and the park don't leave the track. Look out for 'cauliflory' on trees, which have flowers and fruit bursting out of their trunks like little cauliflowers. Birds and bats love these trees. The kauri trees found in the park are almost identical to fossil kauris found in 300 million year old rocks. Unlike other kangaroos, the tiny musky rat-kangaroo eats flesh as well as plants, gallops along the ground instead of hopping, gives birth to twins and is active during the day.