TP
ATLAS OF AUSTRALIA—1886.
Tub Ghbat Dividiko Banoe.—The Great Divi<lhiK Knnge is not confined
to New Soutli Wnles filonG; the northern part of it ©Jrtenda for
a considerable distance into Queensland, while on the sonth it stretclies
away into the colony of Victoria. This ronge forms the main watershed
not only in New South Wales, hut in the entire continent.
Rivers rising ou its easteni slope ilow into the Pacific Ocean, while
those on its western side empty themselves into the Gulf of Carpentai'ia
on the north, and the Southern Ocean on the south. With one
or two exceptions, noted hereafter, it preserves a parallelism to the
sea-coast, and is situated at no great distance therefrom. Like the
Andes on the opposite shore of the Pacific, it presents a precipitous
front to that ocean, while on the inland side, the slope is gradual,
and seldom broken by oliifs. The charactcr of this range diffei-s considerably
throughout its length, according to the prevailing rocks,
In some jjarts, the more elevated jjortions are rounded, and show no
abrupt points, in others, they
m of pinnacles surrounded
by immense chasms. Whe
the
recently formed aqueous
rocks immediately underlie tl
and assume the character of s
ill tablelands,
3 average elevation
of the Great Dividing Range
New South W
is about 3,500 feet ;
in it« highest point—Mount T
Tiseud—it reaches an
of about 7,256 feet. Genernll
mountains in any part of Aus
some of the peaks of the Austrnli
n Alps, ,
summer. Snow-falls are oaly tc
aporaiy thei and dis
appear at the advance of spring,
Avalanche and Ice-river are
tlierefore among phenomena tha
uknovm. Throughout its
length this range receives diflereni
preserved
The following have been
nnectiou with natural subhole
range:—
New England Range, Liverpool Range, Rlue ]\[ountain Range,
llarin Rauge, Gourock Range, Manavo Range, and Munioug Range,
Neic Englund J?«n(,f.—This part of the Great Dividing Chain
amences at the boundary between New Sonth Wales and Queensd,
and has a general southerly direction, slightly inclined to west,
tenninates on the northern side of the Hunter River Talley. The
is Ben Lomond, about 5,000 feet, near the source
yre River; the average elevation of the whole range,
not exceed 3,500 fcet. Lodes or veins, in which are
n, and other metals, occur in various parts of the chain
vith tbe igneous rocks
highest poir
of the Maci
which foni
ml Rungt.—Tlie Liveqiool
:tion, and bounds the Hui
• it from tbe Liverpool Plains.
!Bu the Northern and Southeits
character, and its lofty |ief
ink betw.
ke appearance. The highest
a general east and
liiver Valley on the north.
Tablelands, This range i-s
5, viewed at a distance, have
.oint in the chain is Osley's
k, with an altitude of nearly S,000 feet; the average elevation,
•ever, does not exceed 3,600 feet. In the Liverpool Range occurs
mt Wingen, which, at first, was believed to be an active volcano,
s, however, is not t h e case: the burning is, in all probability, due
he combustion of coal-beds within its interior. There are several
•e-' at considerable elevation, among which may be mentioned
ind the Ga)), the latter, near the town of .Mun-urundi.
loge
preserved
Blue
of the «
inne^ion «Htb itf
îunje.—This
y Oriey
it point.
wbose n
itowed ou the part
t Dividing Range which lies immediately west from Sydney,
and was given on account of the blue appearance it presented in the
distance; but its application has become extended, and it is now
generally understood to embrace the part of tbe chain between tho
Livei-pool Rauge on the north, to Lake Hurra Bun-a on the south,
near the north-west corner of the County of Argyle. 'f'his extension
of the term appears first to have been adopted by the *autlior of tho
Geography and History of New South \Vales, and since then has become
generally recognised throughout the colony. Thero is much in
favour of accepting the name in its •«•ide sense. At its northeni extremity,
the
lu aveiygrea
¡S south-south
tersbed betwi
part of its coxirse, its direction
the south-east, forming the wi
the principal affluent of tbe Hu
1 to
I tlie Goulbnrn 1
.nd f the t. aries of the
Maequario ; its general direction thence to its southern e.xtremity is
pai'ated by
consists of two ranges, almost parallel, -sevalley.
The average distance from the sua
places it approaches very nmcli nearer. The
1 definitely determined. The average height
middle i
.s not bee
; the whole range is a little over 3,000 fcet, with several of the higher
saks approaching 4,000 foot. Generally speaking, the land is conderably
below the average quality, but in mineral deposits, it is
noted for itsi richness and variety. The coal of Lithgow, Bowenfels,
and Katoomba, and the silver ores of Mitchell's Creek are among its
products. In connection with the sandstone formations, ravines and
cliffs are numerous. Some of these have a perpendicular face of over
1,000 feet in depth; and into tho vast chasms, mountain streams hurl
tboir waters, which become dashed into spray in the descent, or on
the accumulated boulders at the bottom. The continual shower and
mist from the fall, togethe)- with a genial climate, give rise to ferns
and mosses of different kinds, which cling to the rocks and allu\-iiuu
deposits. The scenery in the neighbourhood of many of these falls is
wild and romantic in the extreme, and as the trees far down in the
valleys beneath, become dwarfed to pygmies in the distance, the onlooker
is conscious of a feeling of a;ve as he stands alone in the
presence of these monuments of a mightier force in the past than any
which has evidenced itself in the present. Among the place.« roost
favoured by travellers and tourists are Govett's Leap which overlooks
the valley of the Grose, and Wentworth Palls which foi-ms one part
of a vast, continuons, rocky wall, bounding the Knnimbla valley on
the north-east.
The Jenolan (foi-merly kuown as the Fish River or Binda) Caves
occnr in an extensive limestone formation in the Blue Mountains,
west from Sydney, not far from the town of Oberon, and are celebrated
for their grandeur and extent, and the purity and beautifully vaiied
character of the stalactites and stalagmites which they contain.
The Blue Mountain Range, which, in tbe earlier years of settlement
in tbe colony, had presented on impassable bamer between the coast
and the interior, was iirst crossed in 1813 by the explorers, Biasland,
Lawson, and Wentworth.
That which, prior to this discovery, was deemed almost inaccessible
country, is now crossed by the Great Western Railway Line, the
ascent and descent being effected by means of two ssigzags,
Ciillnrin Banjie.—Under this name is included the part of the
Great I)i\-iding Range, which extends south from the Blue Mountains
to tbe north end of Lake George. Its general direction is south-west
and sonth. Several tributaries of the Lachlan and Hawkesbury have
their sources in this range. The average elevation is said to be less
than 3,000 feet.
The Great Southeni Railway Line, which, with the Victorian Line
to Wodonga, connects Sydney and Melbourne, crosses this range at a
place called Bredalbane, about 16 miles west from Goulbum. The
ascent is so gradual that no difficulty was encountered as in the case
of the Wcstorn Railway Line. The highest point is reached at an
elevation of obout 2,280 feet above sea-level.
The Cullarin Range is varied in its chai-acter; in some parts it
rises into rugged precipitous peaks, while, in others, the higher
elevations are rounded and covered with grass and stunted Encnbipl.vs.
Oaiimck flnn<ie,—The Gourock Rauge embraces that part of the
dividing chain between Lake George and a point situated a short
distance south of tho SCth parallel. Its general direction is south,
and it reaches an average elevation between 3,000 and 4,000 feet,
Jindnlian, near the southern extremity, attains an altitude of over
4,000 feet. Genemlly speaking, the range is of a rugged and broken
ilovan, Bamje.—This range commeucing from the tei-mination of
the Gourock Rauge, extends in a southeriy direction for a short distance;
then, taking a sudden turn to the wc.st, and finally to the
north-west, it ends at nn abrupt turn of the main range to tbe south, near
tho town of K'iandra. It separates the affluents of the Murrnmbidgee,
the waters of which have a genei'al tendency north at this point,
fi'om some of the tributaries of the Snowy River, which crosses the
border into Victoria, On its eastern slope rise tho Bemboka and
Brogo River,s, whicli, after uniting their waters, flow into tho Pacific
Ocean. The average elevation of this range is about 8,600 feet, but
some of its summits attain lui altitude of -I-,000 feet. Lund of a
superior quality, eminently suitable either for agricultural or pastoral
purposes, is found in connection with tho JIanaro Range. Kspecially
is this the case whore trap rocks occur,
Munim;! ffaJK?o.—The -Vuniong Uaugo fonns ¡»art of the chain
known in Victoria as the Warragong Mountains, and frequently as
the Aiixti'alian Aljjs. It commences a little north of tho 36th parallel,
and has a general south-south-west direction until it crosscs into Victoria,
where it assumes a south-we.st and finally a west direction. In
this range occurs Mount Kosciusko, one of the highest mountains in
Now Sonth AVales. It is composed of granite, and rises to an altitude
of about 7,171 feet above the level of the sea.
Strzelecki, the great Polish traveller, who first explored this
mouTitain and the surrounding country, and from whom it received its
name, speaks in eloquent terms of iis commanding as|)ocl, and the
vast extent of connfry that lies ns a panorama spread out to the view
of the gazer from its lofty summit. On the westei'n side, in a gorge.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
which descends almnst perpendicularly from the top, are found th(
head watei's of the Murray, The culminating point is Mounl
Townsend, which reaches an elevation of 7,256 feet, and is the lugliesi
known mountain iu New South Wales,
The Muniong Range has an average elevation of about 6,000
foet, and approaches very closely to the line of perpetual snow
which, in this latitude, under similar conditions, is found at ai
altitude of about 8,000 fcet. Among many of the precipitous ravine
into which tho i-ays of tho sua seldom penetrate, snow may be foum
even in summer, and between the months of May and October, falls o
considerable extent are frequently the rule. In this respect muol
depends ou the character of tho season; during wintei-s which ai^
inclined to be mild, the amount of snow will be comparatively small
Groups of peaks, surrounded by ravines of great depth, are numorou
when compared with tha
westei-n slojie of the Gn
o the gradui
I t i . that ri
'he const-ant volume of the Mi
. of other rivers which take their rise c
at Dividing Rauge, is to a considerabl
•Itingof the wintersnows in these moun
rs which depend entirely on rainfall for
ibjeot to change, than those, the soun
.ains above the line of perpetual snow,
rse of the Great Dividing Range
rhich, generally speaking
supply, are much more i
which are found in moun
Throughout the coi
numerous lateral ranges or spurs
found to branch off approximate!
chain. These separate the valleys of the rivei's which take their rise
on both the east and west slopes, and diversify the land for a considerable
distance coastwise and inland, forming with the coast ranges the
almost infinitudo of undulation that chai-acterises the country between
the main chain and the sea, and extending the beneficial effects of
elevation on climate into tbe region of the Great Plains,
Muephersoti Range. — Running in an easterly dii'ection from
the Great Dividing Range to the sea-coast, at Point Danger, is
the Macpherson Range, which forms part of the boundary between
Queensland and New South "Wnles. In many places precipitous
and difficult of ascent, it forms tlie watei-shed between the Logan,
on the north, and the Richmond, Tweed, and Clarence, on the south.
Intercepting the vapour-laden clouds brought in from tho Pacific,
and frequently causing condensation before they proceed farther, its
slopes and the adjoining territory enjoy a rainfall much in excess of
that
rivers named
•Mch
highest poini
i otherv
well watered, and seldom sufl
•isit other parts of the continei
10 range is Mount Lindsay, 5,7
of the sea. Witliin a comparatively small radi
part, are tbe sources of the rivers Clarence, Rie
ìlaclcay Range.—Branching out fi'om tho
V England Range, and separating !
dt, the valleys of the
rr from the continued
t less favom-ed. The
)0 feet above the level
round the culminating
mond, and Logan,
lortb-uast side of the
0 southern tributai-ies
of the Clwence from the northcru affluents of the Macleay,
ilacleay Range. It issues from tbe main chain near Chandler's Peak,
but does not reach the coast before it terminates.
Namlewar or Earthnck Range.—'rins range is situated ou the west
side of the Now England Range, and in a gonoral norti-westerly
direction penetrates far into the plains, forming a watershed between
tho tributaries of tho Gwydir and those of the Namoi. Near its
western extremity it has an elevation of about 3,000 feet.
EnsiiiiyB Rnvyc.—The Hastings Riinge, which attains an elevation
of about 0,000 feet towai-ds its eastern extremity, is not remarkable
for its length. It branches ont near the southern termination of the New
England Range, aud ruus towards tho sea-coast, forming tho source of
the Hastings River, Jfount Sea View is |)vobably the highest point.
Moonbl Ranr/c.—This
-idiug Range; and iu
Di'
spu s situated <
t of il
the
rallel t
of the Malueriudio and Peel Rive
Lino crosses it at un clcviilion of o
Fi^d iia>i<7(!.—Tho Peci Rango •
nd separates the upper wai
The Groat Northern Rail;
oí the Pee 1°
north-west direction, preservi.s a p.
ft separates the Mooki Rivor from t
10 highest point is Mount '.L'uri, 2
riity, is at au elevation of about
<nint Ro¡/oi li.OHjí.—rixk
the noi-th a:
It projects
vatorshod between
list, aud tho afliuont
e up))or waters
2,950 feet. Tbe
lar the uorthern
a sonth-enst and
e Manning and its
,f the Upper Eunt^
r, and sends out, in
about 3,000 feet above
leir way into the H.ii
e Bald is supposed to
Warmmhungk Range.—'iho Warrumbungle Range is curved in
form, has a north-west direction, and is properly, a western oxtension
of the Liverpool Range. It projects far into tho jihiins, and
with its numerous smaller offshoots, collects the upper waters of
several of the tributaries of the Namoi on tho noi-th, and the Castlereagh
on the south. Being to a largo estent of trap formation in its
base, tho soil of the surrounding country is generally fertile, aud suitable
either for agricultural or pastoral purposes.
Eunler Ranye.—This range branches out from the east side of tho
Blue Mountain Chain, and occupies » position on tho south side of the
Hunter River Valley, which it sepai'ates from that of the Hawkesbury,
Those mountains ai'e not remarkable either for that distinctive continuity
characteristic of a range, or for their elevation. In many
parts the chain consists of an aggregation of steep, rugged peaks.
The highest point is supposed to bo Corioudgy, near the main ninge;
it has an altitude of about 3,000 feet,
MlUagong Range.—Near the southern extremity of tho Bine Mountain
Chain, the Mittagong Range branches off to the east, and gives
rise to several of the tributaries of the Wollondilly. Its continuity is
broken at intervals by gullies and sunk valleys. The Great Southern
Railway Lino crosses it at an elevation of about 2,200 feet above sealevel.
In tliis range and its numerous small spnrs, have been found
iron and shale; both are mined for extensively.
Some of the summits of the broken country in the vicinity are said
to resemble volcanic cones. Jellore, one of the principal peaks, stands
out in relief, and is visible from the neighbourhood of Sydney, a
distance of over 50 miles.
Macquarie Range.—So named because many of the tributaries of
the Macquarie River take their rise on its north-eastern and northern
slopes. This range, which separates the upper part of the basins of
the Macquarie and Lachlan Rivers, though attaining a considerable
elevation in various parts of its length, rises in others little above tho
tableland, which it traverses in a nortli-west direction. Its altitude
above sea-level ranges from about 8,000 to 4,000 foot, but the average
difference between it and tho surrounding country does not exceed
1,000 feet. The chain terminates in a group or cluster of peaks, tho
most prominent of which—tho Old Man Canobolas—reaches a height
of 4,000 feet. This part of the range is very steep and rugged, and
is surrounded by deep fertile valleys, 'fho formation is piincipally
trap, through the decomposition of which a large proportion of the
adjacent country is clothed with soil of a veiy high quality, suit^
able either for agriculture or sheep-farming. The Macquarie Range
and its numerous smaller spurs are highly auriferous. The Lewis
Ponds Crock, in which gold was first discovered in the year 1853, by
Edward ITargreaves, rises on the northern slope, and derives its deposits
from the mineral veins occurring in the underlying primary
rocks. The Great Western Railway Line crosses this range at an
elevation of over 3,000 feet above sea-level,
Mioidoaneii J?imj/e.—The spur which bears this name branches off
from the main chain near the north end of Lake George, aiul with a
general direction to the north-west, separates the upper waters of the
Lachlan and Murrumbidgee River.<, It projects into the plains for
some distance in a curved form. Near its western extremity is the
district of Temora, in which extensive deposits of gold have been
found. The Great Southern Railway Lino crosses this range at an
elevation of about 2,000 feut,
jUurrnmhidyee Ravge.—lhs Murrumbidgee Range lies on the
north side of the Muniong Chain, i
preserves a pna'allelism to it. This s j
the Murrumbidgee, which flows betv
south-east direction, from the same river, after it has made its great
curve to tho north. In the rugged, broken character of the numerous
peaks in these mountains, there is a close resemblance to this part of
tho pareni range. An elevation of neariy 7,000 foet is i'eaclied in
several places.
Tiimut i?££»ire,—This rauge branches off in a north-west direction
from the main chiiiu, and separates the waters of the Tnraut River
fi'om those of tho Goodradigboe—both ti'ibutjiries of the Murrumbidgee.
It is of granite formation, and is gold-bearing. The country
generally is of a \vild aud nigged description.
ifurray Range.—'Ihe Murray Rauge occurs on tho west side of
tho Mimiong Chain, and has a general direction to the north-west. It
separates tho upper affluents of the Murray River, which flow west
and south from those of the Muri'umbidgee, which nm nortli. This
range is straggling in its charactcr, several of its smaller branches
reaching into tho plains. It attains an elevation, in one part of its
course, of over 5,000 feet. Mount Dargal, which lies near the source
of the Sjiring Creek, a small tributary of the Murray River, is a wellknown
peak in the Murray Range. It reaches a height of 6,4!I0 feet
above the level of the soa.
jnd for a considerable disti
lur separates the upper watei
,-een it and the main rauge