Lake Barrine
The Lake Barrine is a water-filled Maar, which lies to the east of the Atherton Tableland in north Queensland in Australia. It is located near the small village of Yungaburra and close to Lake Eacham. The lake is located in a the volcanic landscape that stretches from Cairns and Innisfail to the Great Dividing Range.
Formation
The Lake Barrine was created over 17,000 years ago by an explosion, which was triggered when molten rock came in contact with water. This process generated steam, gas and pressure that a deep crater formed in an explosion, which later filled with rain water.
The local Aborigines called the lake Barany.
Description
The Lake Barrine which is in Crater Lakes National Park, is the largest of the crater lakes located in this area, and is located at 730 m above sea level in the Lake Barrine National Park. It has a diameter of about a kilometer and a circumference of 4.5 km with an average depth of 65 m. No river or spring feeds the crystal clear water of the lake and during the rainy season, excess water drains into a small stream, which then leads into the Toohey Creek, a tributary of the Mulgrave River.
Tourist information
The lake is accessible via the Gillies Highway. There are hiking trails around the lake and also a range of boat trips. Buildings on the lake are available, such as a picnic area, kiosk and tea house, which was built in 1926. Recreation seekers use the lake for swimming or bird watching. Camping at the lake is not allowed and native animals are protected in the Lake Barrine National Park.
The lake surrounding rainforests support the Giant Kauri ( Agathis microstachya ), Toona ciliata and Schefflera actinophylla. In the sea area is the eastern Australian Water, eels, Sawshell Turtle, Australian Amethystine (Morelia kinghorni ) Elsterscharbe, Black Duck, Gelbfußpfeifgans, coot, Keilschwanzweih, Brahminy Kite, Black Kite, White-bellied sea eagle and Papua Moorhen.