Major Mountain Ranges of Australia

Unlike the Himalayas or Andes, Australia’s mountain ranges are older, worn-down, and often subtle in elevation, but they play a vital role in drainage systems, climate zones, and resource distribution.

Great Dividing Range (Eastern Highlands)

📍 Location: Runs parallel to the east coast, from northern Queensland through New South Wales to Victoria
🏔 Highest Peak: Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Longest mountain range in Australia (~3,000 km)
• Also known as the Eastern Highlands
• Divides rivers flowing east into the Tasman Sea and those draining west into the Murray-Darling Basin
• Reaches its maximum elevation in the Australian Alps
• Prone to bushfires, especially in the Victorian Alps

📝 Memory Tip: Think of this as Australia’s version of the Western Ghats—running long along the coast and affecting rainfall and river drainage.

Australian Alps

📍 Location: Southeastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria
🏔 Highest Peak: Mount Kosciuszko (same as above, shared range)
🗻 Also Notable: Mount Bogong (~1,986 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Highest range in Australia
• Snow-covered in winters—includes the Snowy Mountains
• Sub-range of the Great Dividing Range

Flinders Ranges

📍 Location: South Australia
🏔 Highest Peak: St Mary Peak (1,171 m)

✅ Key Features:

• An ancient, rugged range
• Home to Flinders Ranges National Park and Gammon Ranges National Park
• Contains some of the oldest visible fossils on Earth

MacDonnell Ranges

📍 Location: Central Australia, Northern Territory
🏔 Highest Peak: Mount Zeil (1,531 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Consists of east-west parallel ridges
• Formed by folding of ancient sedimentary rocks
• Famous sites: Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole

Hamersley Range

📍 Location: Western Australia, Pilbara region
🏔 Highest Peak: Mount Meharry (1,235 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Known for rich iron ore deposits
  • Includes Brockman and Marra Mamba Iron Formations
• Major contributor to Australia’s mining economy

Musgrave Ranges

📍 Location: Border of Western Australia and South Australia
🏔 Highest Peak: Mount Woodroffe (1,435 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Remote and isolated range
• Composed of rugged quartzite and granite
• Sparse population and largely uninhabited

Stirling Range

📍 Location: Southwestern Western Australia
🏔 Highest Peak: Bluff Knoll (1,095 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Scenic and rugged quartzite peaks and cliffs
• Protected within Stirling Range National Park
• Unique for wildflowers and biodiversity

Blue Mountains

📍 Location: Western Sydney, New South Wales
🏔 Highest Peak: Mount Bindo (1,144 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Part of the Great Dividing Range
• Famous for sandstone plateaus uplifted and eroded over time
• Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Contains the Blue Mountains National Park

🟦 Named after the blue haze from eucalyptus oil droplets in the air.

Darling Range

📍 Location: Western Australia, near Perth
🏔 Highest Point: Mount Cooke (582 m)

✅ Key Features:

• Not a high mountain range—more of a low plateau and escarpment
• Runs parallel to the west coast
• Plays a role in drainage and soil erosion

🔁 Summary Table for Quick Revision:

Range	Location	Highest Peak	Special Features
Great Dividing Range	East coast (Qld to Vic)	Mt. Kosciuszko (2,228 m)	Longest range; divides drainage
Australian Alps	SE NSW & Vic	Mt. Kosciuszko	Highest range; Snowy Mountains
Flinders Ranges	South Australia	St Mary Peak (1,171 m)	Rugged; fossil sites
MacDonnell Ranges	Central NT	Mount Zeil (1,531 m)	East-west ridges; gorges
Hamersley Range	WA (Pilbara)	Mount Meharry (1,235 m)	Iron ore deposits
Musgrave Ranges	WA-SA border	Mount Woodroffe (1,435 m)	Remote, granite-rich
Stirling Range	SW Western Australia	Bluff Knoll (1,095 m)	Biodiverse; national park
Blue Mountains	Western Sydney, NSW	Mount Bindo (1,144 m)	Sandstone plateaus; World Heritage
Darling Range	Near Perth, WA	Mount Cooke (582 m)	Low plateau; escarpment

🧠 Final Takeaways:

• Australia’s mountain ranges are not towering, but geologically ancient and ecologically diverse.
• Many are mineral-rich, while others support unique flora, fauna, or serve as watershed divides.
• The Great Dividing Range is the backbone, while others like Hamersley and Flinders are treasure chests of natural wealth.