Everything about The Great Dividing Range totally explained
The
Great Dividing Range, also known as the
Eastern Highlands, is
Australia's most substantial
mountain range. The range stretches more than 3500km from the northeastern tip of
Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through
New South Wales, then into
Victoria and turning west, before finally fading into the central plain at the
Grampians in western Victoria.
Sharp rises between the coastal lowlands and the eastern uplands has affected Australia's climate, mainly due to
orographic precipitation, and these areas of highest relief have revealed impressive gorge country.
Terminology
The Great Dividing Range doesn't consist of a single
mountain range. It consists of a complex of mountain ranges, plateaus, upland areas and escarpments with an ancient and complex geological history. The physiographic division name for the landmass is called the
East Australian Cordillera.
The crest of the range is defined by the
watershed or boundary between the
drainage basins of rivers which drain directly eastward into the
Pacific Ocean, and those rivers which drain into the Murray-Darling River system towards the west. In the north, the rivers on the west side of the range drain towards the
Gulf of Carpentaria.
It should be noted that the higher and more rugged parts of the "range" don't necessarily form part of the crest of the range, but may be branches and offshoots from it. The term "Great Dividing Range" may refer specifically to the watershed crest of the range, or to the entire upland complex including all of the hills and mountains between the east coast of
Australia and the central plains and lowlands. Notable ranges and other features which form part of the range complex have their own distinctive names.
History
The ranges were originally home to Australian Aboriginal tribes, such as the kulin. Evidence remains in some places of their occupation by decorated caves, campsites and trails used to travel between the coastal and inland regions.
After European settlement in 1788, the ranges were an obstacle to exploration and settlement by the English settlers. Although not high, parts of the highlands were very rugged.
In 1813, a usable route was finally discovered directly westward from
Sydney across the
Blue Mountains to
Bathurst by the party of
Gregory Blaxland. This was the start of the development of the agricultural districts of inland
New South Wales. Easier routes to inland New South Wales were discovered towards
Goulburn to the southwest, and westwards from
Newcastle.
Subsequent explorations were made across and around the ranges by
Allan Cunningham,
John Oxley,
Hamilton Hume,
Ludwig Leichhardt and
Thomas Mitchell. These explorers were mainly concerned with finding good agricultural land.
By the late 1820s the most fertile rangelands adjacent to the mountains ranges had been explored and some settled. These included the Gippsland and Riverina regions in the south, up to the
Liverpool Plains and the
Darling Downs in the north.
Various road and railway routes were subsequently established through many parts of the ranges, although many areas remain remote to this day. For example, in eastern Victoria there's only one road crossing the highlands from north to south.
Notable components
Parts of the highlands consisting of relatively flat and, by Australian standards, relatively well-watered land were developed for agricultural and pastoral uses. Such areas include the
Atherton Tableland and Darling Downs in
Queensland, and the
New England Tableland,
Southern Highlands and
Southern Tablelands in
New South Wales. Other parts of the highlands are too rugged for agriculture and have been used for forestry. Many parts of the highlands which were not developed are now included in
National Parks.
All of
mainland Australia's alpine areas, including its highest mountain,
Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 metres
AHD), are part of this range. The highest areas in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria are known as the
Australian Alps.
The central core of the Great Dividing Range is dotted with hundreds of peaks and is surrounded by many smaller mountain ranges or spurs,
canyons,
gorges,
valleys and plains of regional significance. Some of the major plains include the
High Plains of South-Eastern Australia, the
Southern Highlands the
Central highlands and
Bogong High Plains of Victoria. Other tablelands considered part of the Great dividing range are the
Atherton Tableland,
Northern Tablelands,
Canberra wine region and the
Southern Tablelands.
The
Bunya Mountains,
Blue Mountains,
Liverpool Range,
McPherson Ranges and the
Moonbi Range are some of the smaller spurs and ranges that make up the greater dividing range. Other notable ranges and tablelands which form part of the Great Dividing Range include the
New England Tableland,
Liverpool Range,
Mount Royal Range and the
Monaro District. Whilst some of the peaks of the highlands reach respectable heights of a little over 2000 metres, the age of the range and its erosion mean that most of the mountains are not outrageously steep, and virtually all peaks can be reached without mountaineering equipment.
In some areas, such as the
Snowy Mountains,
Victorian Alps, the
Scenic Rim and the eastern escarpments of the
New England region, the highlands form a significant barrier. In other areas the slopes are gentle and in places the range is barely perceptible.
Well known passes on the range include
Cox's Gap,
Cunningham's Gap,
Dead Horse Gap and
Spicer's Gap.
Notable towns located on the upland areas of the range include
Atherton,
Toowoomba,
Armidale,
Oberon,
Goulburn,
Canberra and
Omeo. Many other towns and cities are located in lowland areas and foothills adjacent to the highlands.
Water catchments
The lower reaches are used for forestry, an activity that causes much friction with conservationists. The ranges is also the source of virtually all of eastern Australia's water supply, both through runoff caught in dams, and, throughout much of Queensland, through the
Great Artesian Basin.
Valleys along the chain of mountains have yielded a water source for important reservoirs and water supply projects such as the
Upper Nepean Scheme,
Snowy Mountains Scheme and
Warragamba Dam. The
Bradfield Scheme has been mooted as a way to transport water from the tropics in coastal Queensland south to dryer regions.
The Great Dividing Range creates the
drainage basins of the
Australian south-east coast drainage division and the
Australian north-east coast drainage division, whose water flows to
the east coast and into the
Pacific Ocean,
Tasman Sea, and
Bass Strait with the westerly
Murray-Darling Basin which flow inland, away from the coast into the interior plains.
Some of the rivers which flow west of the ranges includes the
Condamine River,
Flinders River,
Hastings River Herbert River,
Lachlan River,
Macdonald River,
Macintyre River and
Namoi River. Rivers that flow east into the Pacific Ocean include the
Burdekin River,
Brisbane River,
Richmond River,
Hawkesbury River,
Snowy River,
Shoalhaven River and the
Mary River.
Features
Railways
The engineers of early rail passages across the Great Dividing Range needed to find low sections of the range to cross, as well as suitable, low gradient paths up the mountains on either side. Rail passages include:
Road Transport
Many of Australia's
highways such as the
Alpine Way,
Great Alpine Road,
Hume Highway,
Great Western Highway,
Capricorn Highway,
New England Highway,
Warrego Highway,
Waterfall Way,
Thunderbolts Way and the
Murray Valley Highway traverse parts of the range.
Protected areas
Much of the range lies within a succession of
national parks and other
reserves including the
Alpine National Park,
Blue Mountains National Park, and the
Grampians National Park.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Great Dividing Range'.
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