Chichester Range facts for kids
The Chichester Range is a mountain range found in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It's a special place with unique landscapes and important history.
This range rises suddenly from the flat land near the coast. It features rolling hills, steep cliffs (called escarpments), sharp peaks, deep valleys (gorges), and winding rivers lined with trees.
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What is the Chichester Range?
The Chichester Range is mostly a huge, steep cliff, or escarpment. This cliff is about 350 meters (1,150 feet) tall. Behind this cliff, the land flattens out into a high, flat area called a tableland. This tableland slopes gently to the south until it meets the Hamersley Range. The steep cliff is made up of old, worn-down volcanic rocks called basalts and other special rocks called granophyres.
Mount Herbert: The Highest Point
The very highest point in the Chichester Range is Mount Herbert. It stands at 367 meters (1,204 feet) tall. It takes about 45 minutes to climb to the top, and there's a car park at the bottom. Mount Herbert is also part of the Chichester Range Camel Trail. This is a fun tourist activity where you can ride camels through the range, ending at a spot called Python's Pool.
The Chichester Range is part of the Millstream-Chichester National Park. This park also includes Millstream Station, which has some of the only permanent rivers and water sources in the whole area.
Rocks and History
The rocks of the Chichester Range tell an ancient story. The range is made of a mix of sandstone, igneous rocks (which are formed from cooled lava), and special rocks called banded iron formations that contain minerals. All these rocks are part of the Pilbara Craton, which is one of the oldest pieces of Earth's crust!
Who Named the Range?
The Chichester Range was named by an explorer named Francis Thomas Gregory in 1861. He named it after a person called Chichester Fortescue. At that time, Fortescue was a very important government official known as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Traditional Owners
The original people who have lived in this area for thousands of years are the traditional owners. They are the Bailgu or Palyku peoples. They speak the Yinjibarndi language.
Rivers and Water
The Chichester Range is very important for water in the region. It forms the basis for two major river systems: the Fortescue Basin and the Port Hedland Coast Basin.
The Port Hedland Coast Basin collects water for many rivers. These include the Harding River, Sherlock River, Yule River, and Shaw River.
