Australian Alps

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Australian Alps
Australia
Mount Feathertop and Razorback.jpg
Mount Feathertop, Victoria
IBRA 6.1 Australian Alps.png
The interim Australian bioregions,
with the Australian Alps in red
Area12,330 km2 (4,760.6 sq mi)
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)
Localities around Australian Alps:
NSW South Western Slopes South Eastern Highlands South Eastern Highlands
Riverina Australian AlpsSouth East Corner
Victorian MidlandsSouth East Coastal PlainSouth East Corner

The Australian Alps are a mountain range in southeast Australia. It comprises an interim Australian bioregion, [1] [2] and is the highest mountain range in Australia. The range straddles the borders of eastern Victoria, southeastern New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. It contains Australia's only peaks exceeding 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in elevation, and is the only bioregion on the Australian mainland in which deep snow falls annually. The range comprises an area of 1,232,981 ha (3,046,760 acres). [3]

Contents

The Australian Alps are part of the Great Dividing Range, the series of mountain and hill ranges and tablelands that runs about 3,000 km (1,900 mi) from northern Queensland, through New South Wales, and into the northern part of Victoria. [4] This chain of highlands divides the drainage of the rivers that flow to the east into the Pacific Ocean from those that flow west into the drainage of the Murray–Darling Basin (and thence to the Southern Ocean) or into inland waters, such as Lake Eyre, which lie below sea level, or else evaporate rapidly.

The Australian Alps consist of two biogeographic sub regions: the Snowy Mountains, including the Brindabella Range, located in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory; and the Victorian Alps, located in Victoria. The latter region is also known as the "High Country", particularly within a cultural or historical context.

Geology

Unlike the high mountain ranges found in places like the Rockies (highest peak 4,401 m (14,439 ft)), the European Alps (highest peak 4,808 m (15,774 ft)) or the Himalayas (highest peak 8,848 m (29,029 ft)), the Australian Alps were not formed by two continental plates colliding and pushing up the Earth's rocky mantle to form jagged, rocky peaks. Instead, the Australian Alps consists of a high plateau, with significantly softer rolling hills spread across a long, wide plateau that was lifted thousands of feet up by the movement of magma when Gondwana began to break up between 130 and 160 million years ago. The highest peak in the Australian Alps is Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 metres (7,310 ft)). [5]

Formation of the Australian Alps was largely complete by around 100 million years ago, but during the past 90 million years, a number of minor uplift episodes have occurred, with occasional eruptions of basalt lava from small volcanoes, which has flowed across the landscape and down some of the valleys, filling in the low-lying areas to form the flat landscapes of these high plains.

During the Pleistocene ice age, commencing around 2 million years ago, when ice caps formed on many high ranges around the world, as well as at the poles, small glaciers were formed on the very highest parts of the Australian Alps, mostly in the vicinity of Mount Kosciuszko. Whilst no glaciers remain today, evidence of their past presence can be found in the numerous tarns and cirques found in that region, such as Club Lake, Blue Lake, and Hedley Tarn.

Ecology

The Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales Morning views from the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, Kosciuszko National Park 17.jpg
The Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales

The Australian Alps are important for conservation, recreation, and as a water drainage basin, with much of the range's eastern slopes having its runoff diverted artificially into the Murray River and its tributary the Murrumbidgee River through the civil engineering project of the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

The range's natural ecology is protected by large national parks, in particular the Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales and the adjoining Alpine National Park in Victoria. These are managed cooperatively as the Australian Alps National Parks by agencies of the Australian government and the state governments of this region.

The Australian Alps also contain the only skiing areas of mainland Australia. Along with the town of Cabramurra, New South Wales, these are practically the only permanent settlements in the area. Several medium-sized towns can be found in the valleys below the foothills, such as Jindabyne, New South Wales, Corryong, Victoria, and Mount Beauty.

The Australian Alps are not as high or as steep as the European Alps, New Zealand's Southern Alps, or the Andes Mountains, and most of their peaks can be reached without using mountaineering equipment.

Wildlife

Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish live in the Australian Alps. There are approximately 40 native mammals, 200 bird species, 30 reptile species, 15 amphibians, 14 native fish species, and a wide variety of invertebrates. [6] Additionally, many non-native, feral species have been introduced to the Alps, such as the European rabbit, deer, house mice, red foxes, dogs, cats, horses, and pigs. [6]

Among this wide variety of different species of wildlife, there are different habitat requirements for each of the mentioned species, regardless of whether it is native or introduced. [6] In addition to rock outcrops and decaying logs, there is often vegetation that provides food and shelter or a combination of these factors. [6] Consequently, topography, soil type, and temperature determine the type of vegetation in an area and how animal populations are distributed. [6]

Birds

The Australian Alps have been classified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area. The range's montane forests and woodlands support large breeding populations of flame robins and pilotbirds. [7]

Insects

The bogong moth seasonally migrates long distances towards and from the Australian Alps and gregariously aestivates in caves and other sites throughout the mountain range during the summer to avoid high temperatures and lack of larval food resources. [8] The moth is a food source for many species living within the region, such as the endangered mountain pygmy possum. [9] However, the moth has also been a biovector of arsenic, transporting it from lowland feeding sites over long distances into the mountains, leading to the bioaccumulation of the element in the environment and animals in the mountain range. [9]

Bushfires

Due to their mostly hot, dry climate, bushfires in Australia occur frequently, particularly in the well-forested areas of the Australian Alps. The Alps, particularly on the Victorian side of the border (known as the Victorian Alps), are periodically subject to major bushfires and have been almost entirely burnt through by bushfires on various occasions, notably; Black Thursday in 1851, Black Friday (1939), and during fires in 2003 and 2006-07.

Certain native flora in Australia have evolved to rely on bushfires as a means of reproduction, and fire events are an interwoven and an essential part of the ecology of the continent. In some eucalypt and banksia species, for example, fire causes seed pods to open, allowing them to germinate. Fire also encourages the growth of new grassland plants. Other species have adapted to recover quickly from fire.

Nevertheless, damage to surrounding human habitations and native fauna can be extensive and occasionally catastrophic. The 2003 Canberra bushfires severely affected almost 70% of the Australian Capital Territory's pasture, forests (pine plantations), and nature parks. After burning for a week through the Brindabella Ranges above Canberra, the fires entered the suburbs of the city on 18 January 2003. Four people died and more than 500 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. The Victorian Black Saturday bushfires were particularly intense in parts of the Victorian High Country and destroyed several towns, including Kinglake and Marysville. The fires killed 173 people, [10] Australia's highest-ever loss of life from a bushfire. [11] Statewide, the fires burned out over 400,000 hectares and destroyed 2,029 properties. [12]

Alpine huts

Within the Australian Alps, the roughly 120 active alpine huts mostly date back to the early cattlemen's days, early skiing huts, and early research and surveying huts. Many of these have remained in use by fly fishers (seasonal), hikers, and skiing groups throughout the year. Most of these huts are maintained by volunteers through the Kosciuszko Huts Association and the local National Parks and Wildlife Service. [13]

Some of the more noteworthy huts include Moscow Villa Hut, Valentine Hut, Seaman's Hut, and Mawsons Hut. In recent year, many huts have been lost through lack of maintenance and bush fire, as occurred with the Pretty Plain Hut and Mount Franklin Chalet, which were destroyed by the Canberra bushfires of 2003.

Attractions

Resort skiing areas

Skiing, Mt. Kosciusko, Australia, c. 1925, by Albert James Perier Kosciuszko Perier SLNSW FL3419792.jpg
Skiing, Mt. Kosciusko, Australia, c. 1925, by Albert James Perier
Perisher, New South Wales, is Australia's largest ski resort. Perisherbluecowskiing.JPG
Perisher, New South Wales, is Australia's largest ski resort.

The Australian Alps are the main region in which skiing in Australia takes place (although skiing is also possible in Tasmania). Skiable terrain stretches through large areas of territory from June to October. New South Wales is home to Australia's highest snow country, oldest ski fields, and largest resort. Recreational skiing in Australia began around 1861 at Kiandra, New South Wales, when Norwegian gold miners introduced the idea to the frozen hills around the town. [14] The first and longest-surviving ski club in the world, the Kiandra Snow Shoe Club, is believed to have been formed at Kiandra in that year. [15] [16] Steeper slopes and more reliable snows lie further to the south, and in the 20th century, the focus of recreational skiing in New South Wales shifted southward, to mountains in and around the Kosciuszko Main Range region, where Australia's best vertical drop is found at Thredbo and Australia's biggest resort, Perisher is now found. The State of Victoria is the one with the largest number of skiing areas in Australia. [17]

Mount Bogong, with its peak at 1986 m above sea level, is the highest peak in Victoria. The surrounding Bogong High Plains is one of the largest areas of snow country in Australia. It includes the leading resorts of Falls Creek and Mount Hotham. [18] Recreational and practical skiing was being practised in the Victorian Alps by the 1880s and 1890s with skis made from local timbers, and making use of single steering poles. [19] Skiing began at Mount Buffalo in the 1890s, and a chalet was constructed in 1910. Australia's first ski tow was constructed near Mount Buffalo in 1936. [20]

Cross-country skiing is possible in the ACT, as well as in New South Wales and Victoria, but downhill skiing can only be done in New South Wales and Victoria:

Panoramas

Summer view of the Victorian Alps from Mount Hotham Mt hotham alpine range scenery.jpg
Summer view of the Victorian Alps from Mount Hotham

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowy Mountains</span> Mountain range in Australia

The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", is an IBRA subregion in southern New South Wales, Australia, and is the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia, being part of the continent's Great Dividing Range cordillera system. It makes up the northeastern half of the Australian Alps and contains Australia's five tallest peaks, all of which are above 2,100 m (6,890 ft), including the tallest Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches to a height of 2,228 m (7,310 ft) above sea level. The offshore Tasmanian highlands makes up the only other major alpine region present in the whole of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine National Park</span> Protected area in Victoria, Australia

The Alpine National Park is a national park located in the Central Highlands and Alpine regions of Victoria, Australia. The 646,000-hectare (1,600,000-acre) national park is located northeast of Melbourne. It is the largest National Park in Victoria, and covers much of the higher areas of the Great Dividing Range in Victoria, including Victoria's highest point, Mount Bogong at 1,986 metres (6,516 ft) and the associated subalpine woodland and grassland of the Bogong High Plains. The park's north-eastern boundary is along the border with New South Wales, where it abuts the Kosciuszko National Park. On 7 November 2008 the Alpine National Park was added to the Australian National Heritage List as one of eleven areas constituting the Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skiing in Victoria</span>

Skiing in Victoria, Australia takes place in the Australian Alps located in the State of Victoria during the southern hemisphere winter. Victoria is the State with the greatest number of ski resorts in Australia. The highest peak in Victoria is Mount Bogong at 1986m. The first ski tow was constructed near Mount Buffalo in 1938. Victoria has a number of well developed ski resorts including Mount Hotham, Falls Creek and Mount Buller. Cross country skiing is popular in such national parks as Mount Buffalo National Park and Alpine National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Buffalo National Park</span> Protected area in Victoria, Australia

The Mount Buffalo National Park is a national park in the alpine region of Victoria, Australia. The 31,000-hectare (77,000-acre) national park is located approximately 350 kilometres (220 mi) northeast of Melbourne in the Australian Alps. Within the national park is Mount Buffalo, a moderately high mountain plateau, with an elevation of 1,723 metres (5,653 ft) above sea level.

The Kosciuszko National Park is a 6,900-square-kilometre (2,700 sq mi) national park and contains mainland Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, for which it is named, and Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. Its borders contain a mix of rugged mountains and wilderness, characterised by an alpine climate, which makes it popular with recreational skiers and bushwalkers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Kosciuszko</span> Highest mountain in mainland Australia

Mount Kosciuszko, is mainland Australia's tallest mountain, at 2,228 metres (7,310 ft) above sea level. It is located on the Main Range of the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park, part of the Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves, in New South Wales, Australia, and is located west of Crackenback and close to Jindabyne, near the border with Victoria. Mount Kosciuszko is ranked 35th by topographic isolation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain pygmy possum</span> Species of marsupial

The mountain pygmy possum ; also simply known as the burramys, is a small, mouse-sized nocturnal marsupial of Australia found in dense alpine rock screes and boulder fields, mainly southern Victoria and around Mount Kosciuszko in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales at elevations from 1,300 to 2,230 metres. At almost 14 cm (5.5 in), its prehensile tail is longer than its 11 cm (4.3 in) combined head and body length. Its diet consists of insects, fleshy fruits, nuts, nectar and seeds. Its body is covered in a thick coat of fine grey fur except for its stomach, which is cream coloured; its tail is hairless. On the underside of the female's body is a pouch containing four teats. This possum is the only extant species in the genus Burramys. It is also the only Australian mammal restricted to alpine habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Pass, New South Wales</span> Ski resort in New South Wales, Australia

Charlotte Pass is a snow resort and village in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. The pass is in the Kosciuszko National Park where the Kosciuszko Road crosses Kangaroo Ridge. Charlotte Pass is the closest village to Mount Kosciuszko, the tallest mountain in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Bogong</span> Highest mountain in Victoria, Australia

Mount Bogong,, located in the Alpine National Park and part of the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, is the highest mountain in Victoria, Australia, at 1,986 metres (6,516 ft) above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorian Alps</span>

The Victorian Alps, also known locally as the High Country, is a large mountain system in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. Occupying the majority of eastern Victoria, it is the southwestern half of the Australian Alps, the tallest portion of the Great Dividing Range. The Yarra and Dandenong Ranges, both sources of rivers and drinking waters for Melbourne, are branches of the Victorian Alps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perisher Valley, New South Wales</span> Human settlement in New South Wales, Australia

Perisher Valley, commonly called Perisher, is a valley formed below Mount Perisher, a mountain that is located in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selwyn Snow Resort</span> Ski resort in New South Wales, Australia

Selwyn Snow Resort, formerly known as Selwyn Snowfields, is a ski resort located in the most northern part of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council and Kosciuszko National Park. Selwyn Snow Resort is located near the town of Adaminaby and is close to Cabramurra, which is the highest town in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bogong High Plains</span> Mountains in Australia

The Bogong High Plains, part of the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, are a section of plains located in the Alpine National Park in the Australian state of Victoria and are situated south of Mount Bogong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiandra, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

Kiandra is an abandoned gold mining town and the birthplace of Australian skiing. The town is situated in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council inside the Kosciuszko National Park. Its name is a corruption of Aboriginal 'Gianderra' for 'sharp stones for knives'. It was earlier called Gibson's Plains, named after a Dr. Gibson, a settler in the district in 1839. For a century, Kiandra was Australia's highest town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Feathertop</span> Mountain in Victoria, Australia

Mount Feathertop is the second-highest mountain in the Australian state of Victoria and is part of the Australian Alps and is located within the Alpine National Park. It rises to 1,922 metres (6,306 ft) and is usually covered in snow from June to September. Unlike most mountains in the Australian Alps, Mount Feathertop has steep summit slopes instead of a rounded summit dome. Snow remaining in the summit gullies until late spring gives the appearance of feathers, hence the name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Alps Walking Track</span> Hiking trail in South East Australia

The Australian Alps Walking Track is a long-distance walking trail through the alpine areas of Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT. It is 655 km long, starting at Walhalla, Victoria, and running through to Tharwa, near Canberra. The track weaves mainly through Australian national parks, such as Alpine National Park and Kosciuszko National Park, although it is not exclusively restricted to national parks. It ascends many peaks including Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Bogong, and Bimberi Peak, the highest points in NSW, Victoria and the ACT respectively. The AAWT crosses exposed high plains including the Victorian Bogong High Plains and the Main Range in NSW. To walk the whole trail can take between 3 and 8 weeks. Food drops or a support crew are necessary as the trail does not pass through any towns, although it passes close to the ski resorts of Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass and Perisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter sport in Australia</span> Overview of winter sports practiced in Australia

Winter Sports in Australia encompasses a great variety of activities across the continent of Australia, including winter sports played in snow and ice such as ice hockey. Climate varies considerably from the tropical North to temperate South in Australia, and sporting practices vary accordingly. Ice and snow sports like Skiing in Australia are conducted in the high country of the Australian Alps and Tasmanian Wilderness. Australia has relatively low mountain ranges, but a long history of participation in recreational skiing and the Winter Olympic Games. Australians have won olympic gold in ice skating, skiing and snow-boarding events. Australia's generally flat geography and usually mild winter climate otherwise provide ideal conditions for international non-snow/ice winter sports and team games like rugby union football, rugby league football, and association football (soccer), which are all popular sports during the Australian winter and in which Australia has enjoyed considerable international success. Australian rules football is a home-grown winter football code with a wide following throughout Australia. Many other sports are also played or watched in Australia through the winter season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skiing in Australia</span> Overview of skiing practiced in Australia

Skiing in Australia takes place in the Australian Alps in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as well as in the mountains of the island state Tasmania, during the Southern Hemisphere winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skiing in New South Wales</span>

Skiing in New South Wales takes place in the high country of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales during the Southern Hemisphere winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skiing in the Australian Capital Territory</span>

Skiing in the Australian Capital Territory refers to snow skiing in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The highest mountain in the ACT is Bimberi Peak. Recreational skiing commenced with the formation of the Canberra Alpine Club in 1934. Since the 1930s, the ACT has had intermittent and limited alpine skiing facilities. Downhill ski facilities returned to the ACT at Corin Forest in 2016, after a two decade hiatus.

References

  1. ↑ Environment Australia. Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) and Development of Version 5.1 - Summary Report (Report). Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 5 September 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
  2. ↑ IBRA Version 6.1 data
  3. ↑ "Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA7) regions and codes". Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Commonwealth of Australia. 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Geology of the Australian alps" (PDF). p. 1. Retrieved 30 November 2013. The Australian Alps are the highest part of a larger entity, the Eastern Highlands of Australia...
  5. ↑ "Highest Mountains". Geoscience Australia. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Fauna of the Australian Alps" (PDF). Australian Alps National Parks. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "IBA: Australian Alps". Birdata. Birds Australia. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  8. ↑ Warrant, Eric; Frost, Barrie; Green, Ken; Mouritsen, Henrik; Dreyer, David; Adden, Andrea; Brauburger, Kristina; Heinze, Stanley (2016). "The Australian Bogong Moth Agrotis infusa: A Long-Distance Nocturnal Navigator". Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 10. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00077. ISSN 1662-5153.
  9. 1 2 Green, Ken; Broome, Linda; Heinze, Dean; Johnston, Stuart (2001). "Long distance transport of arsenic by migrating Bogong moths from agricultural lowlands to mountain ecosystems" Archived 3 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine . The Victorian Naturalist. 118 (4): 112–116. ISSN 0042-5184.
  10. ↑ 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission - Final Report (PDF) (Report). Government Printer for the State of Victoria. July 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  11. ↑ Huxley, John (11 February 2009). "Horrific, but not the worst we've suffered". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  12. ↑ Andrews, Marie (13 March 2009). "Victorian Bushfires". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Parliament of New South Wales: Legislative Assembly.
  13. ↑ "Home". Kosciuszko Huts Association. KHA Inc. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Kiandra - Culture and History". The Sydney Morning Herald . 21 November 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  15. ↑ "History". Selwyn Snowfields website. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  16. ↑ Clarke, Norman W. (2006). Kiandra: goldfields to skifields. Kiandra Pioneer Ski Club (1870) Ltd. ISBN   0-646-46337-3.
  17. ↑ "Snow play on Victoria's slopes". australia.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "Highest Mountains". Geoscience Australia. Commonwealth of Australia. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010.
  19. ↑ "Heritage (part 4) 3". Australian Alpine Club. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  20. ↑ "National Parks and Reserves of the Australian Alps - Mount Buffalo National Park". Australianalps.environment.gov.au. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
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