Wolfe Creek Crater, Impact crater in Western Australia
The crater measures 875 meters in diameter and reaches a depth of 60 meters, with steep walls rising above the surrounding desert terrain point.
Aerial surveyors first discovered the crater in 1937, leading to geological investigations that confirmed its formation from a meteorite impact approximately 120,000 years ago.
The Djaru Aboriginal people name this site Kandimalal and include it in their traditional stories about the creation of the landscape.
Visitors can reach the crater by traveling 150 kilometers south from Halls Creek along the Tanami Road through the Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park.
Scientists have found iron oxide fragments weighing up to 250 kilograms near the crater, providing evidence of the original meteorite composition.
Location: Western Australia
Inception: 1969
Elevation above the sea: 369 m
GPS coordinates: -19.17167,127.79556
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:00
The Australian outback encompasses a vast territory featuring distinctive geological characteristics, including ancient sandstone formations, deep canyons, and expansive salt lakes. This region contains some of Earth's oldest landscapes, from the red monoliths of the Northern Territory to the layered rock formations of Western Australia. Visitors can explore underground settlements created as shelter from extreme temperatures, as well as impact craters dating back millions of years. The collection includes sites such as Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the Northern Territory, which represent massive red sandstone formations. Kings Canyon offers tall sandstone cliffs and gorges, while Purnululu National Park in Western Australia is known for its orange and black striped sandstone domes. Other notable locations include the Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu), rounded granite boulders in the Northern Territory, and Wolfe Creek Crater, one of the world's largest meteorite craters. Karijini National Park displays deep gorges with layered rock, while Ningaloo Reef on the western coast hosts a coral reef system. The region also contains rainforest areas such as the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland and wilderness areas in Tasmania.
Meteorite craters mark locations where asteroids collided with Earth. These geological structures range from 110 meters to 300 kilometers in diameter. They often contain distinct minerals like diamonds, nickel, and copper. Scientists use the craters to study Earth's history and cosmic events.
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