At the foot of the town’s landmark extinct volcano, Mount Rouse, explosions of fumes on a much safer scale were emitted from small mock volcanoes made by primary school pupils at a workshop during the “Fire in the Hills” event.

Designed to increase appreciation of local volcanoes, the weekend attracted more than 120 people for talks and a field trip to Mount Rouse on Saturday.

About 20 pupils attended the day for young people on Sunday.

Penshurst Volcano Discovery Centre committee member Paul Callender said the good turnout had encouraged organisers to consider further events.

“Volcano hunter” and Monash University PhD student Julie Boyce told the big crowd on Saturday that while the new volcanic province, extending from Melbourne to South Australia, was still active, any further eruptions during present lifetimes were unlikely.

While there was still a lot of heat underground and emissions of carbon dioxide, there was no indication “it is ready to blow again”, Mr Callender said. Volcanoes in the region were created 5000-4.5 million years ago: “The average is one every 8000-10,000 years,” he said.

He said there were Dreamtime stories from Aborigines in the area about the creation of local volcanoes such as Mount Napier, confirming scientific studies that date some eruptions to after the arrival of man.

Other volcano experts to speak included Dr Erin Matchan from Melbourne University, PhD student Jim Driscoll from Monash University, and Dermot Henry from Museums Victoria. 

The day also included a field trip to Mount Rouse, where the experts helped people gain further understanding of the impact volcanoes had on the landscape.

Participants also visited a quarry that exposed volcanic geological formations including lava flows and scoria deposits.