Mount Toondina
Key facts
- Country
- Australia
- Diameter
- 4 km
- Age
- less than about 110 million years
- Location
- 27.95° S, 135.37° E
A small hill rising from the gibber plains of northern South Australia, near Oodnadatta, made of disturbed rock from the crater's central uplift.
Mount Toondina is an eroded impact structure about 4 km across in the desert of northern South Australia, near the town of Oodnadatta.
What can be seen. The structure's central uplift forms a small hill, Mount Toondina, rising from the flat stony plains. The hill is made of older rocks pushed up from below by the rebound of the crater floor.
What it hit. The impactor struck sedimentary rocks of the Great Artesian Basin, mainly Cretaceous and older shales and sandstones.
Proof of impact. Geologists found breccia and quartz with shock features, which confirmed an impact.
Age. The youngest rocks affected are Cretaceous, so the impact happened less than about 110 million years ago.
Why it matters. Mount Toondina shows how a crater's central uplift can survive erosion as a hill. The impactor is unknown.
Visiting. The area is remote desert. Travel with care and carry plenty of water.
Did you know?
Mount Toondina is the eroded central uplift of an impact crater.
The hill is made of older rock pushed up from below.
It lies near Oodnadatta in South Australia.