METEOR CRATERS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 3371, 29 September 1931, Page 7

METEOR CRATERS

IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIA. RECENT DISCOVERY. Thirteen large craters blasted in the earth thousands of years ago by a huge meteorite have been discoveerd in Central Australia. Three of them are larger than the largest crater made by the meteorite which fell in Siberia twenty-three years ago and devastated hundreds of square miles of forest. The largest is second only in size to the worldfamous crater in Arizona (U.S.A.)

The Central Australian craters, it was stated at a meeting of the Royal Society in Adelaide recently, vary in size from 220 yards to 10 yards across. Scattered over the surrounding country are more than 800 meteorite fragments, ranging weight from a few ounces to 501bs. These consist mainly of metallic iron and nickel. The craters are about seven miles west-south-west of Henbury cattle station, on the Fluke River, and are known as the Punch Bowl. In January Professor Kerr Grant, 'of the University of Adelaide, received a letter from Mr. J. M. Mitchell, a prospector, of Oodnadatta, stating that there were signs of a large meeorite having fallen near Henbury Station. In April Mr. B. Bowman, manager of Temple Downs station, called on Professor Grant and told him of the craters. Professor Grant reported the discovery to the museum, and Messrs. A. B. Alderman and F. L. Winzor, two university lecturers, surveyed the area in May. They found at least twelve definite craters, and a small one, which is also probably genuine. The craters are scattered over an area about half a mile square. The walls have been considerably reduced by erosion. Their floors and sides are covered with coarse grass and mulga. Acacias and bluebush are also growing in them although the surrounding country js gibber plain. The three largest craters, which vary in diameter from 60 to 220 yards, are close together, their walls meeting. The largest crater is* about 50 feet deep, but must have been considerably deeper originally. The assumption that the craters are thousands of years old is supported by the fact that the aborigines in the district have no legends regarding the place. Many of the smaller fragments of metallic iron thrown off by the meteorite when it struck the earth have been completely oxidised, and have disintegrated into iron oxide. The heat generated by the impact was so great that the sandstone rocks in the vicinity were melted. Mr. Alderman noticed a number of low ridges or rock radiating from the edges. So far as is known this phenomenon has not been recorded in connection with any other similar craters.

Representations have been made to the Prime Minister (Mr. Scullin) to have the site proclaimed a national reserve.