It is enough to google or look in the atlas to make sure that the highest point in Australia is Mount Kosciuszko. But associations with this surname are by no means geographic, but historical. Everyone knows that Tadeusz Kosciuszko is a prominent military and political leader of the national liberation movement in Poland since the French Revolution. What does a mountain in distant Australia have in common with a fighter for the independence of a European country? Let's look at this issue in more detail.
"Imported Names"
Australia - the mainland, discovered by Europeans only in 1606, is replete with names brought from the Old World. There is also the state of New South Wales, and Cape Keya York. Even the mountain system in which Australia's highest peak is located is called the Australian Alps. So the name Kosciuszko is not surprising. The Desert Victoria (in honor of the Queen), the island of Tasmania and many other geographical objects are named after prominent people on the Green Continent. But the vast majority of celebrities who hit cards and atlases were British. And among them only one Pole was "hooped up". As a rule, geographical objects - rivers, mountains and islands - received a name in honor of their discoverers. So it happened with the peak Kosciuszko. Of course, it was not discovered by the Supreme Commander of the Polish Forces, but by geologist and geographer Pavel Edmund Strzelecki in 1840. And as a true patriot of his country, he decided to name the peak he had conquered by the name of the leader of the uprising for the independence of his fatherland.
Sad mistake
If you, ascending Mount Kosciuszko, think that you are following the trail of the Polish pioneer Pavel Edmund Strzelecki, then you are severely mistaken. He has never been to this peak. But he conquered the neighboring - Townsend, with a height of 2210 meters. “How so?” You ask. “How could a geologist name one mountain while standing on top of another?” Very simple. The Townsend seemed to him higher in the series of the Great Dividing Range in general and the Australian Alps in particular. And since he wanted to perpetuate the name of the Polish revolutionary in the highest mountain of the mainland, he undertook the ascent to this very peak. Later, using measuring instruments, an error was detected. It turned out that the highest point in Australia - Mount Townsend: 2228 meters above sea level.
Respect for the Pioneer
The eighteen meter difference did not seem to officials from the New South Wales Land Department (Kosciuszko and Townsend are located in this state) significant. If the Pole really wanted the highest peak of Australia to bear the name of the leader of the Revolution for Independence of the Commonwealth, as well as a participant in the war for US freedom, then so be it. And therefore, by their decree, they decided to change the names of the two mountains. So, the peak on which Strzelecki visited was called Townsend, and the neighboring, higher, Kosciuszko.
Other names
From time immemorial, the natives of Australia had another name for the mountain - Tar-Gan-Gil. It is possible that they conquered the peak first, long before the Europeans arrived. Locals still consider this mountain sacred, you need to go there only to honor the spirits. But who will take into account the opinion of the natives, who make up only one and a half percent of the population of the Green Continent? Be that as it may, Tar-Gan-Zhil is not indicated on the maps. However, the name "Kosciusko" also did not take root. The fact is that in Polish the sound "w" is indicated by the diphthong "sz". So, when writing the name, the letter Z was lost somewhere, and it turned out that the highest point in Australia is called Kosciusko. In English pronunciation, this name sounds like Koziosko (ˈkɔziˌɔskoʊ).
Convenient record
Among climbers practiced the informal program "Conquering the seven peaks" - that is, climbing all the highest peaks of all continents and continents. Compared to Everest or Kilimanjaro, Kosciuszko with his 2228 meters looks just a dwarf. But still, it is included in this program as the highest point in Australia and Oceania. This small peak is also extremely convenient for climbing. It can be conquered not only by an avid mountain climber, but even by a person with limited physical abilities, since both the ski lift and the highway are laid to the top. Nevertheless, there are many tourists all year round. In winter, there is snow and a ski complex. In summer, simple trekking attracts lovers of mountain hikes, since Australia's highest point is also the most beautiful mountain in the local Alps.
In the wake of Captain Grant’s children
Mount Kosciuszko is located on the state border of New South Wales and Victoria. It is surrounded by a national natural park. Several routes are offered for climbing, all of them having approximately the same - low - level of difficulty. But one of them is special. Connoisseurs of Jules Verne have the opportunity to walk to the top in the footsteps of the heroes of the book "Children of Captain Grant." The journey takes two whole days. Campfire BBQ, overnight in tents - this is only part of a romantic trip. Wombats and kangaroos that abound along the banks of the Snow River will leave an indelible impression. On the way, it will be necessary to bypass the thermal springs, where the water has a temperature of + 27 ° C all year round. The most convenient time to climb Kosciuszko is from November to March, when it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. But even in winter, the highest point in Australia is not empty. Hikers are replaced by skiers.
Australia's lowest point
In contrast, Lake Eyre is of interest to travelers and tourism lovers on this amazing continent. It is located in the desert of the state of South Australia. Its depth varies depending on the season and the influx of rain. But even in the driest time, this lake stores a little water in small puddles. Sometimes rains fill it to the end (which is very rare). Then this pond becomes the largest lake on the continent. It is also Australia's lowest point, as it is 15 meters below sea level.