List of impact structures in Australia facts for kids

A map showing all the confirmed impact craters around the world.

Imagine a giant space rock, like a meteorite, crashing into Earth! When this happens, it leaves a huge hole called an impact crater. Australia is a really old continent, and it has been hit by many of these space rocks over millions of years. This article lists all 27 confirmed impact structures found in Australia, according to the Earth Impact Database. These are places where scientists have found strong proof that a space rock hit the ground.

Australia's Confirmed Space Impact Craters

Scientists have found many places in Australia where space rocks have crashed. These are called "confirmed" impact structures because there is clear evidence, like special rocks or minerals, that they were formed by an impact. The map below shows where these amazing sites are located across Australia. The different colors show how old the craters are.

This table lists the confirmed impact structures in Australia. It shows their name, the state they are in, how wide they are (diameter), how old they are, and their exact location (coordinates).

Unconfirmed Impact Sites: What Are They?

Sometimes, scientists find places that look like they might be impact craters, but they don't have enough proof yet. These are called "unconfirmed" impact structures. It takes a lot of research and evidence to officially confirm a crater. So, some places might be known for a while before they are added to the official list. It's also possible that some of these might turn out not to be impact craters after more study.

This table shows some of the unconfirmed impact structures in and around Australia.

Want to Learn More?

• Impact craters
• Impact events
• Bolides and Meteorites
• Earth Impact Database – This is the main source for information about impact craters.
• Traces of Catastrophe – A book from the Lunar and Planetary Institute that explains a lot about impact craters.