The McBride Volcanic Province of northern Queensland covers an area of about 5000 km2, and is composed of basaltic lava flows erupted from many large and small volcanoes. An older series of basalts, preserved in mesas, have K‐Ar ages in the range 7.3 to 7.8 m.y., late Miocene. Most of the volcanic rocks of the Province were erupted in the interval from 2.7 m.y. ago (late Pliocene) to almost the present day. No significant break in the volcanism is recognized during this younger period of activity. The K‐Ar ages are consistent with the stratigraphical control, based mainly on geomorphological evidence.