Macdonnell Ranges

Macdonnell Ranges
Mountain system, south-central Northern Territory, Australia.

Extending east and west of the town of Alice Springs for some 250 mi (400 km), its highest peak is Mount Ziel (4,954 ft [1,510 m]). The mountains were first explored in 1860 by John McDouall Stuart and were named after Richard Macdonnell, governor of South Australia.

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      mountain system in south central Northern Territory, Australia, a series of bare quartzite and sandstone parallel ridges that rise from a plateau 2,000 ft (600 m) above sea level and extend east and west of the town of Alice Springs for about 230 mi (380 km). They reach a maximum elevation of 4,954 ft at Mt. Ziel and are the source of the Finke, Todd, and Plenty rivers and Ellery Creek. Some streams have carved spectacular gorges (Simpson Gap, Standley Chasm) that contain luxuriant vegetation. One striking feature is the coloration of the stone, which constantly varies as the direction of the sun changes. The MacDonnells are the best watered district in central Australia. They were explored in 1860 by the Scot John McDouall Stuart and were named after Sir Richard MacDonnell, governor of South Australia (1855–62). In 1872 the Overland Telegraph Line was built across the ranges through Heavitree Gap near Alice Springs.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Macdonnell Ranges —   [mək dɔnl reɪndʒɪz], Gebirgsketten in Zentralaustralien, im Süden des Northern Territory, erstrecken sich über 400 km in West Ostrichtung, im Mount Zeil 1 511 m über dem Meeresspiegel; v. a. aus steil gestellten roten Quarziten und Sandsteinen… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • MacDonnell Ranges — p1 MacDonnell Ranges Blick über die West MacDonnell Ranges vom Larapinta Trail in der Nähe von Glen Helen Höchster Gipfel …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Macdonnell Ranges — Blick über die West MacDonnell Ranges vom Larapinta Trail in der Nähe von Glen Helen Luftaufnah …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • MacDonnell Ranges — The MacDonnell Ranges of the Northern Territory, are a 644 km (400 mile) long series of mountain ranges located in the centre of Australia (coord|23|42|S|132|30|E|region:AU NT), and consist of parallel ridges running to the east and west of Alice …   Wikipedia

  • Macdonnell Ranges — geographical name series of mountain ridges central Australia in S Northern Territory; highest point Mt. Ziel 5023 feet (1531 meters) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Macdonnell Ranges — Australsk bjergkæde …   Danske encyklopædi

  • Macdonnell Ranges —  Northern Territory, Australia …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • MacDonnell Ranges — /məkdɒnəl ˈreɪndʒəz/ (say muhkdonuhl raynjuhz) plural noun the most extensive mountain range in central Australia, in the southern NT, stretching 65 km east and 320 km west of Alice Springs. Highest peak, Mt Zeil, 1510 m …  

  • MacDonnell — oder McDonnell bezeichnet: einen Gebirgszug in Australien, siehe MacDonnell Ranges einen Nationalpark in Australien, siehe West Macdonnell Nationalpark einen amerikanischen Flugzeughersteller, siehe McDonnell Douglas einen amerikanischen Luft und …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ranges — (as used in expressions) Coast Ranges Pacific Coast Ranges Flinders Ranges Macdonnell Ranges * * * …   Universalium

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