Australian tourists questioned by Bali police after climbing active volcano

Two Australian tourists have been taken in for questioning by Indonesian police after they climbed Bali's active Mt Agung volcano.

Police in Bali say the men started climbing at 2:00am and were detained when they descended eight hours later.

Ricky Tonacia, 34, and Jack Dennard, 26, told police they weren't aware of the 8-10 kilometre exclusion zone around the volcano.

Mt Agung has been erupting since November and people are prohibited from going within 8 kilometres of the volcano's crater.

The exclusion zone is widely publicised throughout the island.

Vulcanologists say large eruptions could occur at any time and no-one should be anywhere near the volcano's summit.

The police chief from the town of Selat, Sudartawan, said his office received a report that two foreign tourists were climbing Mt Agung.

"We went to the gate at border of the no-climbing danger zone, and we met two guides who were waiting for them to come back down from the top," he said.

"The local military chief and I and some volunteers waited for them to come back and when they came back we secured them afterwards at Selat Police Office, to get their statements."

The men were allowed to return to their accommodation in Bali's Canggu district.