Wolfe Creek Crater facts for kids
| Kandimalal | |
 Location in Western Australia
|
|
| Impact crater/structure | |
|---|---|
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Diameter | 875 m (2,871 ft) |
| Depth | 60 m (200 ft) |
| Age | ~150 ka Pleistocene |
| Exposed | Yes |
| Drilled | No |
| Bolide type | iron meteorite ~50,000 t (49,000 long tons; 55,000 short tons) |
| Location | |
| Location | Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park, Great Sandy Desert |
| Coordinates | 19°10′18″S 127°47′44″E / 19.17167°S 127.79556°E |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Western Australia |
| Access | Tanami Road |
The Wolfe Creek Crater is a huge, well-preserved hole in the ground in Western Australia. It was made when a giant space rock, called a meteorite, crashed into Earth!
This amazing crater is a special place. It is found in the Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park.
Contents
What is Wolfe Creek Crater?
The crater is about 875 metres (2,871 ft) wide. That's almost a kilometer across! From its edge down to the bottom, it's about 60 metres (200 ft) deep. Imagine a 20-story building fitting inside!
Scientists think the meteorite that made this crater was huge. It was about 15 metres (49 ft) wide. It weighed around 17,000 tonnes. That's like 17,000 small cars!
How Old is the Crater?
The crater is quite old, but still looks fresh. It is estimated to be less than 120,000 years old. This means the crash happened during the Pleistocene Ice Age.
Small pieces of iron meteorites have been found near the crater. Also, larger, rounded iron oxide rocks called 'shale-balls' are there. Some of these can weigh as much as 250 kilograms (550 lb).
Discovery and Naming
People first noticed the crater from an airplane in 1947. Scientists then went to study it on the ground. They wrote about it in 1949.
The crater's European name comes from a nearby creek. This creek was named after Robert Wolfe. He was a prospector and storekeeper. He lived during the gold rush that started the town of Halls Creek.
Aboriginal Stories of Kandimalal
The local Djaru Aboriginal people call the crater Kandimalal. They have many special Dreaming stories about how it was formed. These stories are very important to their culture.
The Rainbow Snake Story
One story says that a giant rainbow snake came out of the earth. It made the crater's round shape. Another snake made the nearby Sturt Creek.
The Evening Star Story
Another story was told by an Elder, a wise Djaru person. It says that one day, the crescent moon and the evening star came very close. The evening star got so hot it fell to the ground.
This caused a huge explosion and a bright flash. Then, a big dust cloud appeared. The people were scared and stayed away for a long time.
When they finally went to see what happened, they found the crater. They realized it was where the evening star had fallen. The Djaru people named this special place "Kandimalal". It is often shown in their beautiful art.
