Great Dividing Range

Great Dividing Range
a mountain range extending along the E coast of Australia: vast watershed region. 100 to 200 mi. (160-320 km) wide.

* * *

Main watershed of eastern Australia.

It comprises a series of plateaus and mountain ranges roughly paralleling the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, Austl. Beginning in the north on the Cape York Peninsula, Queen., the range heads south to become the Australian Alps near the New South Wales–Victoria border. Bending west in Victoria, the range ends in the Grampians, while a southern spur emerges from the Bass Strait to form the central uplands of Tasmania. The range stretches for 2,300 mi (3,700 km). First traversed in 1813 by Europeans moving into the Australian Outback, the region is now important for agriculture, lumbering, and mining, and national parks attract tourists.

* * *

▪ mountains, Australia
also called  Great Divide, Eastern Highlands, or Eastern Cordillera,  

      main watershed of eastern Australia; it comprises a series of plateaus and low mountain ranges roughly paralleling the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria for 2,300 miles (3,700 km). Geologically and topographically complex, the range begins in the north on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Within that state the ranges' average elevation is 2,000–3,000 feet (600–900 m), but they rise as high as 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in the Bellenden Ker and McPherson ranges and the Lamington Plateau. Farther south the highlands average 3,000 feet; a segment known as the Australian Alps, near the New South Wales–Victoria border, contains Australia's loftiest peak, Mount Kosciusko (Kosciusko, Mount) (7,310 feet [2,228 m]). The highlands finally bend westward in Victoria to terminate in the Grampians, while a southern spur emerges from the Bass Strait to form the central uplands of insular Tasmania.

      The headwaters of a number of Australia's principal rivers are located in the Great Dividing Range. The Snowy River flows down the steep eastern slope, while the Darling, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, and Goulburn rivers drain the gentle western slope to join the Murray River.

      The range was traversed in 1813 by Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth (Wentworth, W.C.), and William Lawson. This initial reconnaissance marked the beginning of European migration, previously inhibited by the highlands, from the east coast into the Australian interior, or outback. The region is now important for agriculture (grazing, mixed farming, fruit growing), lumbering, and mining. The rivers supply large irrigation and hydroelectric schemes, while national parks and ski areas attract tourists.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Great Dividing Range —   [ greɪt di vaɪdɪȖ reɪnʒ], Australische Kordillere [ kɔrdil jeːrə], Gebirgssystem im Osten Australiens, die Hauptwasserscheide des Kontinents; erstreckt sich über rd. 3 000 km von der Kap York Halbinsel im Norden bis zur Südküste bei Melbourne… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Great Dividing Range — series of mountain ranges along the E coast of Australia: highest peak, Mt. Kosciusko …   English World dictionary

  • Great Dividing Range — Coordinates: 25°00′S 147°00′E / 25°S 147°E / 25; 147 …   Wikipedia

  • Great Dividing Range — Satellitenbild der Great Dividing Range Die Great Dividing Range (auch kurz: Great Divide; auch: Eastern Highlands; deutsch auch: Australisches Bergland, Großes Australisches Scheidegebirge oder Australische Kordillere) ist Australiens größter… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Great Dividing Range — noun the eastern highlands of Australia, watershed to rivers flowing east and west, extending from Cape York Peninsula down the eastern coast to western Victoria. Highest peak (Australia s highest mountain) Mount Kosciuszko, 2228 m. Also,… …  

  • Great dividing range — Cordillère australienne La cordillère australienne dans la région du mont Hotham (1862 m) Victorian Alps, état de Victoria Cordillère australienne …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Great Dividing Range — Great′ Divid′ing Range′ n. geg a mountain range extending along the E coast of Australia: vast watershed region. 100 to 200 mi. (160–320 km) wide …   From formal English to slang

  • Great Dividing Range — noun a mountain range running along the eastern coast of Australia • Syn: ↑Eastern Highlands • Instance Hypernyms: ↑range, ↑mountain range, ↑range of mountains, ↑chain, ↑mountain chain, ↑chain of mountains …   Useful english dictionary

  • The Great Dividing Range (band) — Infobox musical artist Name = The Great Dividing Range Img capt = Img size = Landscape = Background = group or band Alias = Origin = Maitland, NSW, Australia Genre = Alt Country Indie rock Years active = 2004 ndash; present Label = V Dub Records… …   Wikipedia

  • Great Dividing Range — geographical name mountain system E Australia extending from Cape York Peninsula to S Victoria &, interrupted by Bass Strait, into Tasmania see kosciusko (Mount) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”