The Mystery Craters is an unusual natural rock formation discovered in the 1970s, between Bundaberg and Gin Gin. The craters are a natural formation, the mystery comes from the location and the mixture of rock that has baffled geologists across the world.
An interesting feature of the Mystery Craters is the red ochre evenly distributed throughout the sandstone, as if the ochre was mixed through it.
There are a number of theories on the formation of the mystery craters by scientists from across the world, but none have been able to be proven. Some facts have been proven, such as the craters like these are normally volcanic in nature but these craters are not volcanic, further adding to the mystery.
Other theories include hot spring activity, it was once part of the sea, and the one that isn’t proven or disproven, it is a meteorite that didn’t disintegrate and landed in seawater or wet marshy area and was about to disintegrate giving the distributed ochre and sandstone features but held together.
Theories it has something to do with aliens or dinosaurs have also been raised, a large dinosaur model sits near the viewing platform to support the stories.
I had heard about the mystery craters for many years. The farmer who owned the property when the craters were discovered had the area cleared for planting more crops. The stories all tell of the farmer clearing the land himself. My grandfather, Edward Stanley Brian, told of the job he was hired to clear farmland when the grader hit
My grandfather wasn’t credited in any way. It wasn’t his land or farm, but it would have been nice to have some sort of acknowledgement. At least I can make note of it here.
Beside the mystery craters is a viewing platform, raised with stairs to the top. A good view over all the craters can be had from here. An audio commentary provides information about the craters and how they were discovered.
A fence surrounds the craters, you can walk around the perimeter to get a closer look inside the craters. Some of the craters had water in them, most were dry dirt or mud.
The craters are the main attraction at Mystery Craters, there is a fairy garden, machinery shed with pioneer memorabilia, and a rock and fossil display.
The fairy garden has miniature figures around the garden, garden gnomes, smurfs, frogs and other characters.
The machinery shed is across the paddock, filled with a variety of old machinery. A wall of the shed is filled with early motorised lawn mowers. There is a
Inside at the entrance to Mystery Craters, is a rock and fossil display, with cut thunder eggs showing cross sections of them resembling animals and things.
, head east on Avenue St and turn right into Alexandra St. Follow to the next intersection and turn left into Whittred St and follow up to the traffic lights. Turn right onto Princess St and follow for 800m to the traffic lights and turn right into Scotland St towards Bundaberg CBD. Follow the road becoming Bourbong St for 1.1km crossing over the Kennedy Bridge and turn right. Follow the road for 1.1km to the roundabout, turning right to cross over the old bridge. Follow the signs towards Gin Gin to a large roundabout at Fairymead Rd and Bundaberg-Gin Gin Rd.. Continue straight ahead at Fairymead Rd following Bundaberg-Gin Gin Rd for 24.8kmand turn left into Lines Rd at the brown sign for Mystery Craters, and a brown sign 500m before it. The entrance to Mystery Craters is 150m on the left.