Henbury Meteorite Craters

Around four to five thousand years ago, an iron meteorite broke up as it entered the atmosphere and struck this patch of desert as a cluster of fragments, blasting thirteen or fourteen craters, of which the largest is about a hundred and eighty metres across and fifteen deep. Iron fragments recovered here are held in museums. The event is old enough to be prehistoric but recent enough that Aboriginal accounts of a fire devil coming from the sky, and a traditional avoidance of drinking water that collects in the craters, may record it. A marked walking trail loops the main craters with interpretive signs, and a basic campground sits at the site.

Highlights

• The crater cluster - thirteen or fourteen depressions from a fragmented meteorite.
• The main crater - the largest, some 180 metres across.
• The walking trail - the marked loop around the craters with signage.
• The desert plain - open gibber and scrub in every direction.

When to go

April to September; summer heat is severe with no shade on the trail. Early morning and late afternoon give the best relief shading of the crater rims, which flatten out under midday sun.

What to expect

The craters are shallow and eroded, and look less dramatic on the ground than in aerial photographs. Collecting meteorite fragments is illegal. The access road is unsealed, and the campground has pit toilets and no water.

Nearby

The Stuart Highway is twelve kilometres east; Alice Springs lies northeast.

Key facts