Scientists have compiled a rating of the highest mountains in the world. It includes Everest, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, etc. The seventh place in this list is occupied by the Kosciuszko mountain range. He adorns the terrain of one state called New South Wales. Very often you can hear the question: "Where is Mount Kosciuszko?" In order to satisfy the curiosity of readers, this article will provide detailed information about this peak.
So, let's start with the answer to the main question. Where is she located? Mount Kosciuszko is located in the southeast of the Australian continent in a mountain range called the Australian Alps. It is an adornment of the eponymous park, which is a national treasure of the country.
First climb
The first European ascent on this mountain took place in February 1840. The pioneer was the Polish geographer and traveler Pavel Strzelecki. He described the peak with its surroundings and, as a discoverer, gave it a name. But unlike the tradition accepted then, to assign the names of saints or their discoverer to the geographical discoveries, the Pole acted in an original way. He called the mountain he had conquered in the name of his compatriot Tadeusz Kosciuszko.
What is this man famous for, that a mountain on a distant continent was named in his honor? Tadeusz Kosciuszko (1746-1817) is a hero of Poland and the USA, an honorary citizen of France. He is a member of the independence movements in the USA (1775-1783) and the Russo-Polish war of 1792, one of the leaders of the Polish uprising in 1794.
But for the local population to correctly pronounce the name of the Polish hero seems to be a whole problem. That is why Mount Kosciuszko in Australia is called by the local population in its own way - “Koziosko”.
Short description of the mountain
The peak of Kosciuszko is part of Australia's highest mountain system - the Australian Alps, which, in turn, is part of the Great Dividing Range. This system is the largest on the continent. It stretches along the coast for four thousand kilometers in the eastern and southeastern parts of the island. The size of the mountains on the "Green Continent" is small, and with its modest dimensions, this peak is the highest in Australia. The height of Mount Kosciuszko is 2,228 m.
Climatic features
The air temperature on the mountain is never below zero degrees. Even in the coldest period of the year, it is at least +2 degrees Celsius. The coldest time in Australia falls on June-August. In these months, the Great Dividing Range is covered with snow. By the way, this region is the coldest on the whole continent. Therefore, in this short period, winter sports lovers from all over Australia and Oceania come here.
Holidays in the mountains
Mount Kosciuszko takes the main place in this pilgrimage, thanks to the developed infrastructure for tourism and sports. Several hiking trails lead to the top. In addition, you can climb to the very top on a cable car, looking at the wonderful landscape while driving.
Around Kosciuszko Mountain is the park of the same name. Its main attraction is the thermal springs of hot water. The temperature in them is naturally maintained at +27 degrees and remains constant all year round. Numerous tourists take advantage of this, who specially come over many hundreds of kilometers to take a hot natural bath.
Surrounding nature
In addition, at the foot of the mountain there are many small picturesque lakes. All of them are of glacial origin. The park has the headwaters of the three largest rivers in the region - the Murray River, Gungarlin River and Snowy River. Mount Kosciuszko, until recently, was covered with magnificent forests. But a few years ago, due to strong fires, the trees almost completely burned out. To restore its former beauty, it will take more than one decade.
These fires caused serious damage to the flora and fauna of these places, which is interesting for its diversity. It is in the park that rare animals live, for example, mountain couscous. This small rodent lives in the vicinity of Mount Kosciuszko and nowhere else on the planet. The park also has several rare species of lizards and small birds. The whole fauna and flora, which is rich in Mount Kosciuszko, is under the protection of the state and UNESCO. This allows you to maintain harmony between wildlife and a huge number of tourists (more than 1 million a year) who come here to enjoy the picturesque corner of nature in Australia.