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Mount Baw Baw

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70-731: Mount Baw Baw ( / ˈ b ɔː ˈ b ɔː / ) is a mountain summit on the Baw-Baw Plateau of the Great Dividing Range , located in Gippsland , Victoria , Australia . The name is from the Yarra-Yallou, Gunna-Kurnai people of Gippsland. It is of uncertain meaning, but possibly signifies, echo , or ghost . The Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort is an unincorporated area , that includes the Mt Baw Baw summit, which

140-433: A late Devonian granodiorite pluton . There is relatively little relief on the plateau itself, the highest point reaching 1,567 metres (5,141 feet). The lower slopes of the plateau are covered in montane eucalypt forest and tall forest, and creek valleys have cool temperate rainforest of myrtle beech, Nothofagus cunninghamii . Above 1,200 m (3,900 ft) snow gum ( Eucalyptus pauciflora ) woodland occurs. There

210-619: A slow start to the 2008–09 Australian bushfire season , the high temperatures and wind precipitated several bushfires across Victoria and South Australia. The conditions were very similar to the heat wave experienced in early January 1939, which killed 438 people and precipitated the Black Friday bushfires of 1939. Fires were also started in the Australian Alps by lightning strikes from dry thunderstorms in north-east Victoria and south-east New South Wales. The tail end of

280-478: A variety of runs, with the highest going almost to the top of Mount Baw Baw with a 91 m (299 ft) rise. The resort village is at the bottom of the lifts, offering ski in-ski out access. In addition to the downhill runs there are a number of cross country trails offering access to other parts of the Baw Baw plateau. Like most lower-lying Australian ski resorts, snow cover varies greatly from year to year, but

350-535: A water source for important reservoirs and water supply projects such as the Upper Nepean Scheme , Snowy Mountains Scheme and Warragamba Dam . The Bradfield Scheme has been mooted as a way to transport water from the Wet Tropics of Queensland in the coastal northeast of Far North Queensland via a series of Dams & Tunnels , southwest to inland dryer regions, including a tunnel through

420-604: Is about 10 km wide. Other peaks on the plateau include Mount Mueller , Mount Whitelaw, Talbot Peak, Mount St Phillack, Mount Tyers, Mount Kernot and Mount St Gwinear . The plateau itself is isolated from most of Victoria's high country by the deep valleys of the Thomson and Aberfeldy rivers and tributaries of the La Trobe River , including the Tanjil and Tyers rivers to the south. The Baw Baw massif consists of

490-533: Is home to the critically endangered Baw Baw Frog . Mount Baw Baw has a Subpolar oceanic climate ( Cfc ). The mountain summit receives more annual precipitation than most places in mainland Australia, with frequent and heavy snow between May and October but can occur at any time of the year (as well as a persistent snowpack ). Frequent, heavy cloud cover and strong winds mean that minimum temperatures rarely drop below −5 °C (23 °F), whereas maximum temperatures are frequently at or below 0 °C (32 °F);

560-459: Is no altitudinal treeline limit; subalpine grasslands and shrublands occur in flat valley bottoms on the plateau as a result of cold-air drainage. Much of this subalpine zone is included in the 133 km (51 sq mi) Baw Baw National Park . The Baw Baw Village ski resort is technically outside the national park. The climate of the plateau itself is subalpine, with an average annual precipitation of 1,900 mm (75 in). Snow covers

630-593: Is not as long as, but considerably steeper than, any of the hors catégorie climbs featured in the Tour de France . The Mount Baw Baw Classic, which began in 2001, is an annual cycling race held by the Warragul Cycling Club, and ends at the Mount Baw Baw village. There is a purpose-built downhill track located on the south western side of the mountain, facing towards the sea. The course has hosted

700-767: Is only one major road crossing the highlands from north to south, the Great Alpine Road . Parts of the highlands consisting of relatively flat and, by Australian standards, well-watered land were developed for agricultural and pastoral uses. Such areas include the Atherton Tableland and Darling Downs in Queensland, and the Northern Tablelands , Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands in New South Wales . Other parts of

770-416: Is regularly available for the local ski season from about July to the end of September. The alpine resort village has modern facilities and caters for both day-trippers and long-term visitors, with accommodation, ski hire, food outlets, medical and information centres all within walking distance of the car parks. During the summer months, Mt Baw Baw is popular for hiking and bushwalking given its location in

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840-732: Is the key synoptic weather system responsible for the heat-waves." The heat wave was the worst in Australia's history. During the heat wave, several records were broken; Tasmania recorded its highest-ever temperature; 42.2 °C (108 °F) in Scamander, and the long-standing Tasmanian record of 40.8 °C (105.4 °F) (recorded in Hobart on 4 January 1976) was broken five times within two days at Flinders Island , Fingal (twice), St Helens and Scamander, while Hopetoun in Victoria recorded

910-675: Is under the direct administration of the government of Victoria, and is surrounded by the Baw Baw National Park , in the Shire of Baw Baw . Mount Baw Baw is about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Melbourne, 50 km (31 mi) on the north side the Latrobe Valley , due North of Moe . Mount Baw Baw itself is one of a number of peaks on the Baw Baw Plateau, a long plateau tending about 20 km north-east and

980-519: The 2009 Victorian heatwave most of the state saw highs of above 45 °C (113 °F), while the temperature on Mount Baw Baw's summit reached a comparatively cool maximum of just 31.3 °C (88.3 °F). The summit is located within the boundaries of the Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort , an unincorporated area of Victoria. There are about 30 hectares (74 acres) of mainly beginner-intermediate ski runs . Seven lifts service

1050-689: The Australian Alps . The central core of the Great Dividing Range is dotted with hundreds of peaks and is surrounded by many smaller mountain ranges or spurs, canyons , valleys and plains of regional significance. Some of the major plains include the High Plains of South-Eastern Australia, the Southern Highlands, the Central Highlands and Bogong High Plains of Victoria. Other tablelands considered part of

1120-716: The Bass Strait . Rivers west of the Dividing Range drain in various westerly directions according to latitudes: the Murray–Darling basin in southeastern Australia ( Darling Downs /eastern South West Queensland , West/Central New South Wales , Northern Victoria and the Murraylands / Riverland region of southeastern South Australia ) drain southwestwards into the Great Australian Bight via

1190-656: The Baw Baw National Park . The alpine grasses are blanketed with wildflowers and walks at a higher elevation pass through snow gum forest. Popular walks include the Great Walhalla Alpine Trail, which starts at the gold mining town of Walhalla and finishes at the Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort. The hike is the first 40 km (25 mi) of the Australian Alps Walking Track. The Mt Baw Baw Summit Walk arrives at

1260-649: The Calder Highway , the Western Highway , and the Murray Valley Highway traverse parts of the range. Much of the range lies within a succession of national parks and other reserves . Most of the national parks are listed below, and there are almost double that amount of state forests. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Great Dividing Range was announced as one of

1330-606: The East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands , is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges , plateaus and rolling hills . It runs roughly parallel to the east coast of Australia and forms the fifth-longest land-based mountain chain in the world , and the longest entirely within a single country. It is mainland Australia 's most substantial topographic feature and serves as

1400-479: The Gulf of Carpentaria . The sharp rise between the coastal lowlands and the eastern uplands has affected Australia's climate , mainly due to orographic precipitation , and these areas of highest relief have revealed an impressive gorge country. Areas to the east of the mountain range in southern NSW usually experience a Föhn effect , which is a dry wind originating from the Great Dividing Range that abruptly raises

1470-570: The Latrobe Valley and Wilsons Promontory ). Whereas on the downwind (eastern) slopes, Cooma , Omeo , Goulburn , Bowral , Bombala , Nimmitabel , and Canberra , are warmer and drier relative to altitude. Moreover, Oberon , Shooters Hill and Sunny Corner are on the crest of the ranges and thus exposed from all directions, hence their evenly spread rainfall. The main ski resorts in New South Wales, such as Thredbo Village , Perisher and Charlotte Pass , lie transitionally between

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1540-604: The Liverpool Range , Mount Royal Range and the Monaro District . Whilst some of the peaks of the highlands reach respectable heights of a little over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), the age of the range and its erosion mean that most of the mountains are not very steep, and virtually all peaks can be reached without mountaineering equipment. In some areas, such as the Snowy Mountains , Victorian Alps ,

1610-596: The Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "location". Early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave The 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave was a heat wave that commenced in late January and led to record-breaking prolonged high temperatures in the region. The heat wave is considered one of the, if not the, most extreme in the region's history. During the heat wave, fifty separate locations set various records for consecutive, highest daytime and overnight temperatures. The highest temperature recorded during

1680-591: The Scenic Rim and the eastern escarpments of the New England region, the highlands form a significant barrier. The eastern escarpment is the site of many spectacular waterfalls which were formed by rivers plunging off the tablelands. In other areas the slopes are gentle and in places the range is barely perceptible. Well known passes on the range include Coxs Gap , Cunninghams Gap , Dead Horse Gap , Nowlands Gap , and Spicers Gap . Major cities located on

1750-571: The Shoalhaven River . Those that flow south, primarily through Victoria, include the Snowy , Cann , Tambo , Mitchell , Latrobe , Thomson , Yarra , Werribee , Hopkins and Glenelg rivers. At some high hill passes the range provides cool sites appropriate for vineyards . The engineers of early rail passages across the Great Dividing Range needed to find low sections of the range to cross, as well as suitable, "low" gradient paths up

1820-423: The Snowy Mountains portion of southern Great Dividing Range. The Dividing Range does not consist of a single continuous mountain chain , but is rather a combined complex ( cordillera ) of mountain ranges , plateaus , hilly upland areas and escarpments with an ancient and complex geological history . The physiographic division name for the landmass is called the East Australian Cordillera . In some places

1890-570: The Wimmera plains as rolling hills west of the Grampians region . The width of the Range varies from about 160 km (100 mi) to over 300 km (190 mi). The Greater Blue Mountains Area , Gondwana Rainforests and Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Areas are located in the Range. The highest place in Australia, the 2,228 m (7,310 ft) Mount Kosciuszko , resides in

1960-414: The drainage basins of river systems east (the coastal or rainward side) and west (the inland or leeward side) of it. The higher and more rugged parts of the "range" do not necessarily form part of the crest of the range, but may be branches and offshoots from it. The term "Great Dividing Range" may refer specifically to the watershed crest of the range, or to the entire upland complex including all of

2030-694: The Blue Mountains were later named after each of these men. This was the start of the development of the agricultural districts of inland New South Wales . A road was built to Blaxland by convicts within six months. Easier routes to inland New South Wales were discovered towards Goulburn to the southwest, and westwards from Newcastle . Subsequent explorations were made across and around the ranges by Allan Cunningham , John Oxley , Hamilton Hume , Paul Edmund Strzelecki , Ludwig Leichhardt and Thomas Mitchell . These explorers were mainly concerned with finding and appropriating good agricultural land. By

2100-513: The Great Divide is only a slight rise in the surrounding topography. Knowing that local Aboriginal people had already established routes crossing the range and by making use of Aboriginal walking trails, a usable ridge-top route was finally discovered by Europeans directly westward from Sydney across the Blue Mountains to Bathurst by an expedition jointly led by Gregory Blaxland , William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth . Towns in

2170-551: The Great Dividing Range are the Atherton Tableland , Canberra wine region and the Southern Tablelands . The Dandenong Ranges , Barrington Tops , Bunya Mountains , Blue Mountains , Liverpool Range , McPherson Ranges and the Moonbi Range are some of the smaller spurs and ranges that make up the greater dividing range. Other notable ranges and tablelands which form part of the Great Dividing Range include

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2240-766: The Great Dividing Range into the Flinders River then a tunnel into the Torrens Creek in the White Mountains National Park then flows south into Thompson River / Cooper Creek , part of the Eyre Basin . Many other variations have been proposed. The Great Dividing Range creates the drainage basins of the Australian south-east coast drainage division and the Australian north-east coast drainage division , whose water flows to

2310-759: The Murray–Darling Basin from Victoria include the Goulburn , Mitta Mitta , Kiewa , Ovens , King , Loddon and Campaspe rivers. Rivers that flow east into the Pacific Ocean include the Annan River , Barron River , Brisbane River , Burdekin River , Burnett River , Clarence River , Daintree River , Fitzroy River , Hastings River , Hawkesbury River , Hunter River , Karuah River , Macleay River , Mary River , Pascoe River , Richmond River and

2380-698: The Victorian Downhill Championships as well as a number of state rounds. The track is around 3 + 1 ⁄ 2  min in duration, comprising a good mix of cambered dirt, rocks, fire road and technical sections. A shuttle service is provided from the base of the track along the Mount Baw Baw Tourist Road back to the Baw Baw Village, so that the venue is very mountain bike friendly. Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range , also known as

2450-404: The air temperature in the lee of that mountain range and reduces atmospheric moisture. This dry wind, which elevates fire danger in the warm months, occurs because of the partial orographic obstruction of relatively damp low-level air and the subsiding of drier upper-level air in leeward of the mountains. The drier air is then heated more because of the adiabatic compression as it comes down

2520-522: The all time previously being 44.8 °C (112.6 °F) set on 23 January 2001. On 8 February 2009, the record for the consecutive days over 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) was to be broken with thirteen consecutive days recorded (the previous record being six days, which was set in 1946 and equalled in 1979, 1980 and 2004). Wagga Wagga also recorded fourteen consecutive days of over 35.0 °C (95.0 °F). January 2009 February January 2009 February January 2009 February January 2009 After

2590-416: The city was free as the government admitted responsibility for failing to provide adequate infrastructure elements to cope with the heat, as well as long-standing issues with underfunding. On the 30th, 730 (40%) of rail services were cancelled, the worst day of operation since Connex took control in 2004. Several outdoor matches during the 2009 Australian Open on the 29th and the 30th were cancelled due to

2660-636: The coastal Lake Alexandrina ; the eastern half of the Lake Eyre basin in east central Australia (the Cooper Creek and Warburton River systems in Central /western South West Queensland and eastern Far North of South Australia) drain southwestwards into the endorheic Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre ; the numerous rivers of western Cape York Peninsula in northeastern Australia ( North / Far North Queensland ) drain westwards or northwestwards directly into

2730-521: The coastal and inland regions. Many descendants of these nations still exist today, and some remain the traditional owners and custodians of their lands. After British colonisation in 1788, the ranges were an obstacle to exploration and settlement by the British settlers. Although not high, parts of the highlands were very rugged. Crossing the Blue Mountains was particularly challenging due to

2800-478: The definitive watershed for the river systems in eastern Australia, hence the name. The Great Dividing Range stretches more than 3,500 kilometres (2,175 mi) from Dauan Island in the Torres Strait off the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula , running the entire length of the eastern coastline through Queensland and New South Wales , then turning west across Victoria before finally fading into

2870-465: The east coast and into the Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea , and Bass Strait with the westerly Murray–Darling basin which flow inland, away from the coast into the interior plains. Some of the rivers which flow west of the ranges includes the Condamine River , Flinders River , Herbert River , Lachlan River , Macdonald River , Macintyre River and Namoi River . Rivers that flow north into

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2940-602: The evening of 30 January 2009. The outage affected much of central Melbourne with train and tram services cancelled, the evacuation of Crown Casino , traffic light failures, people being rescued from lifts and patrons of the Victorian Arts Centre evacuated and shows cancelled. The outage occurred only an hour after the National Electricity Market Management Company (NEMMCO) issued a statement saying load shedding

3010-582: The heat wave also precipitated the Black Saturday bushfires, in which 173 people died, 414 injured and 2,029 houses destroyed at various locations across the state. Several locations around the state recorded their highest temperatures since records began in 1859 and winds gusted up to 110 km/h. Many areas in central South Australia, northern Victoria and inland New South Wales regularly experience temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F) for one, two or three consecutive days, sometimes more, during

3080-465: The heat wave is estimated to have cost the Victorian economy $ 100m during the week. Over the course of the week, thousands of train and tram services were cancelled in both cities, with more than 1,300 individual train services cancelled in metropolitan Melbourne alone. The cancellations were due to buckling rail lines, air conditioner failures and power outages. On the 30th, all public transport in

3150-467: The heat wave was 48.8 °C (119.8 °F) in Hopetoun , Victoria , a record for the state. Many locations through the region recorded all-time high temperatures including capital cities Adelaide , which reached its third-highest temperature, 45.7 °C (114.3 °F), and Melbourne , which recorded its highest-ever temperature on record, 46.4 °C (115.5 °F). Both cities broke records for

3220-421: The heat. A number of players, including number 3 seed Novak Djokovic , cited the temperature as reason for withdrawing from matches. Serena Williams was quoted as saying it was so hot on court she felt like she was having an " out-of-body experience ". After these retirements and an intensification in the heat, the organisers responded by closing the roof and allowing players longer breaks and icepacks. There

3290-421: The highest peak of the Baw Baw plateau, elevation 1564m. Situated at the summit is the historic cairn used as a survey reference in 1903. The access road to the resort, the Mount Baw Baw Tourist Road, features one of the toughest climbs accessible by road bicycles in Australia. The final climb of 6.2 km (3.9 mi) rises 718 m (2,356 ft) at an average grade of 11.5%, maxing out at 20.3%. The climb

3360-553: The highlands are too rugged for agriculture and have been used for forestry. Many parts of the highlands which were not developed are now included in National Parks . All of mainland Australia 's alpine areas, including its highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 metres or 7,310 feet AHD ), are part of this range, called the Main Range . The highest areas in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria are known as

3430-543: The hills and mountains between the east coast of Australia and the central plains and lowlands. At some places it can be up to 400 km (249 mi) wide. Notable ranges and other features which form part of the range complex have their own distinctive names. As a rule of thumb , rivers east/southeast of the Dividing Range drain directly eastward into the South Pacific and the Tasman Sea , or southward into

3500-605: The late 1830s, the most fertile rangelands adjacent to the mountain ranges had been explored, appropriated from the traditional inhabitants and some settled. These included the Gippsland and Riverina regions in the south, up to the Liverpool Plains and the Darling Downs in the north. Various road and railway routes were subsequently established through many parts of the ranges, although many areas remain remote to this day. For example, in eastern Victoria there

3570-902: The lee slopes, forming a rain shadow . In the cool season, the Great Dividing Range would shield much of the southeast (i.e. Sydney , Central Coast , Hunter Valley , Illawarra , the ACT , the Monaro and South Coast ) from south-westerly cold fronts that originate from the Southern Ocean , which bring chilling rains, sleet and snow to the upwind side of the ranges, such as on the western Central Tablelands , South West Slopes and Snowy Mountains regions – all which have relatively wetter winters. Upwind locations include Crookwell , Batlow , Tumut , Corryong , Bright , Beechworth , Eildon , Tolmie and those in West Gippsland (namely

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3640-430: The leeward and windward side (the former town being more leeward and the latter more windward). Although they receive substantial precipitation from over the crest of the ranges, they lack the persistent cloud cover which characterises truly windward locations on the western face, which are; Cabramurra , Kiandra , Mount Buller , Falls Creek , Mount Hotham , Mount Buffalo and Mount Baw Baw . The Great Dividing Range

3710-485: The mistaken idea that the creeks should be followed rather than the ridges, and almost impenetrable, labyrinthine, sandstone mountains. The Blue Mountains actually lie to the east of the watershed that divides the Hawkesbury - Nepean system and the Murray-Darling system , the true Great Dividing Range. The watershed in this area lies to the west of Lithgow , passing near the locality of Mt Lambie and village of Capertee . There, as in some other places in New South Wales,

3780-674: The most consecutive days over 40 °C (104 °F), while Mildura, Victoria recorded an all-time record twelve consecutive days over 43 °C (109 °F). The exceptional heat wave was caused by a slow-moving high-pressure system that settled over the Tasman Sea , with a combination of an intense tropical low located off the North West Australian coast and a monsoon trough over Northern Australia , which produced ideal conditions for hot tropical air to be directed down over southeastern Australia. The heat began in South Australia on 25 January but became more widespread over southeast Australia by 27 January. A weak cool change moved over

3850-478: The mountain is often shrouded in low cloud or mist in winter, thereby reducing diurnal range. The mean afternoon humidity of 80%, is extreme (especially for a mainland Australian region). Summers are cool with temperatures rarely rising above 25 °C (77 °F); summers can also be very cold, with a maximum temperature of just −0.4 °C (31.3 °F) recorded on 25 December 2006, and 1.0 °C (33.8 °F) on both 11 January 2012 and 16 February 1998. During

3920-861: The mountains on either side. Rail passages include: Many of Australia's highways such as the Alpine Way , Great Alpine Road , Snowy Mountains Highway , Hume Highway , Illawarra Highway , Northern Highway , Melba Highway , Maroondah Highway , Midland Highway , Pyrenees Highway , Sunraysia Highway , Monaro Highway , Olympic Highway , Newell Highway , Lachlan Valley Way , Barton Highway , Federal Highway , Kings Highway , Great Western Highway , Mitchell Highway , Mid-Western Highway , Castlereagh Highway , Mulligan Highway , Capricorn Highway , Cunningham Highway , Gore Highway , Flinders Highway , Gregory Highway , Peak Downs Highway , Dawson Highway , New England Highway , Golden Highway , Bruxner Highway , Gwydir Highway , Oxley Highway , Warrego Highway , Summerland Way , Waterfall Way , Thunderbolts Way ,

3990-608: The peak of the 2008–09 Australian bushfire season , causing many bushfires in the affected region, contributing to the extreme bushfire conditions on 7 February, also known as the Black Saturday bushfires , which claimed 173 lives in Victoria. The heat wave was caused by a slow-moving high-pressure system that settled over the Tasman Sea. Coupled with an intense tropical low and a monsoon trough over Northern Australia, this produced hot, tropical air to be directed over southeastern Australia, raising temperatures significantly. The CSIRO stated that "The warm lower tropospheric anticyclone

4060-455: The plateau from June to September. It is thought that Baron Ferdinand von Mueller made the first recorded European ascent of Baw Baw in 1860, naming Christmas Creek on one of his major collecting expeditions. It was on this trip that he collected the Baw Baw Berry, Wittsteinia vacciniacea . There are two routes up the mountain; one via Noojee and Icy Creek which is very winding, and the unsealed South Face Road via Erica . Mount Baw Baw

4130-403: The southern coastal areas bringing some relief on 30 January, including Melbourne, where the change arrived that evening, dropping temperatures to an average of 30.8 °C (87.4 °F). Higher temperatures returned on the following weekend with Melbourne recording its hottest day since records began in 1855, 46.4 °C (115.5 °F). The heat wave generated extreme fire conditions during

4200-445: The state's highest temperature and the highest temperature of the heat wave, with a reading of 48.8 °C (119.8 °F). January 2009 February January 2009 February January 2009 February January 2009 February January 2009 February Temperatures have been recorded since in 1855. January 2009 February January 2009 February A record-high minimum temperature was recorded at around midnight on 29 January, when

4270-427: The summer months. During the heat wave, however, many of these regions experienced temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F) for twice as long or more, on average, than is normal for that time of year. Coastal regions and the ACT experienced slightly lower temperatures; however, these were still above average and lasted for a prolonged period. While coastal regions may have experienced shorter periods of heat wave, for

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4340-506: The temperature dropped to only 33.9 °C (93.0 °F) at the Bureau of Meteorology weather station in Kent Town , near the Adelaide city centre. Temperatures recorded in other parts of the city and other towns throughout South Australia were even higher. January 2009 February January 2009 February On 31 January 2009, Wagga Wagga broke the all-time January record for the most days above 40.0 °C (104.0 °F) with six days recorded (the record previously being five days, which

4410-408: The terrain is relatively flat, consisting of very low hills. Typically the highlands range from 300 to 1,600 metres (980 to 5,250 ft) in height. The mountains and plateaus, which consist of limestones , sandstone , quartzite , schists and dolomite , have been created by faulting and folding processes. The crests of the Great Dividing Range is defined by the watershed boundary between

4480-436: The time that they did experience temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F), they mostly reached the top 3, top 5 or top 10 all-time temperature records for a number of days. The heat wave was perhaps most extreme in northern and eastern Tasmania, where 7 of the 8 highest temperatures recorded in Tasmania up to that time occurred during the heat wave. A chart of the variation of maximum and minimum daily temperatures, through

4550-403: The towns/cities located on or near the range include: The lower reaches are used for forestry, an activity that causes friction with conservationists. The range is also the source of virtually all of eastern Australia's water supply, both through runoff caught in dams, and throughout much of Queensland, through the Great Artesian Basin . Valleys along the chain of mountains have yielded

4620-432: The upland areas of the range include Canberra , Toowoomba and the outer suburbs of Sydney , Melbourne , Brisbane , Gold Coast and Cairns in north Queensland. Many towns and cities are located on the range, and also in lowland areas and foothills adjacent to the highlands. There is a strong natural history and cultural attachment to the Dividing Range region in towns and on many, sometimes remote, landholdings. Some of

4690-446: The year, for Melbourne was prepared from observations between May 1855 and August 2006. For early February, this shows a mean daily maximum temperature of 26 °C (79 °F) with the 75th-percentile temperature being about 31 °C (88 °F). Localised power outages occurred throughout both cities during the week at varying times for various lengths. It is estimated that over 500,000 residents in Melbourne were without power for

4760-633: Was ending and power had been restored. Blackouts also occurred in the city's west, caused by the three-day heat wave. It is believed an explosion at South Morang contributed to the power problems along three transmission lines supplying Victoria's west and Victorian power supplier SP AusNet shed 1,000 megawatts. On the 30th, Energy Minister Peter Batchelor announced consumers who lose power for more than 20 hours would be eligible for compensation. Areas that did not experience blackouts still had problems with abnormally low voltage (probably due to increased air-conditioner usage). As of 1 February,

4830-511: Was formed during the Carboniferous period —over 300 million years ago—when Australia collided with what are now parts of South America and New Zealand. The range has experienced significant erosion since. (See Geology of Australia .) For tens of thousands of years prior to British colonisation the ranges were home to various Aboriginal Australian nations and clans. Evidence remains in some places of their traditional way of life including decorated caves, campsites and trails used to travel between

4900-445: Was set in 1952 and equalled in 1979 and 2001). The January record set in 1979 was equalled for number of days above 35.0 °C (95.0 °F) or more which is 19 days. Wagga Wagga broke the all-time record and the February record for the highest recorded maximum on 7 February 2009, 2:50pm AEDT the city recorded 45.2 °C (113.4 °F) with the previous February record being 44.6 °C (112.3 °F) set on 1 February 1968 and

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