Mount Melbourne is a massive stratovolcano

Stratovolcano

A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...

 that makes up the projection of the coast between Wood Bay

Wood Bay

Wood Bay is a large bay which is bounded by Cape Johnson and Aviator Glacier Tongue on the north and Cape Washington on the south, along the coast of Victoria Land. Discovered in 1841 by Captain James Clark Ross, Royal Navy , and named by him for Lieutenant James F.L. Wood of the ship Erebus....

 and Terra Nova Bay

Terra Nova Bay

Terra Nova Bay is a bay which is often ice free, about long, lying between Cape Washington and the Drygalski Ice Tongue along the coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica....

, in Victoria Land

Victoria Land

Victoria Land is a region of Antarctica bounded on the east by the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea and on the west by Oates Land and Wilkes Land. It was discovered by Captain James Clark Ross in January 1841 and named after the UK's Queen Victoria...

 of Antarctica.

Discovered in 1841 by James Clark Ross

James Clark Ross

Sir James Clark Ross , was a British naval officer and explorer. He explored the Arctic with his uncle Sir John Ross and Sir William Parry, and later led his own expedition to Antarctica.-Arctic explorer:...

, who named it for Lord Melbourne

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...

, British Prime Minister when the expedition was being planned.

Mt. Melbourne is an active volcano and is undissected by glaciation. Many young cones dot the flanks and the volcano may have erupted as recently as during the 18-19th Century. Fumarolic

Fumarole

A fumarole is an opening in a planet's crust, often in the neighborhood of volcanoes, which emits steam and gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen sulfide. The steam is created when superheated water turns to steam as its pressure drops when it emerges from...

activity is found on the southern rim of the summit crater and along a NNE-SSW line cutting through the summit region.