Great Dividing Range Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Great Dividing Range
Eastern Highlands

Highest point
Peak	Mount Kosciuszko
Elevation	2,228 m (7,310 ft)
Dimensions
Length	3,500 km (2,200 mi) North–South
Geography
Country	Australia
States	New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria
Geology
Age of rock	Carboniferous

The Great Dividing Range, also known as the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's biggest mountain range. It stretches for about 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) along the entire east coast of Australia. This makes it the third longest land-based mountain range in the world!

The range starts way up north at Dauan Island in Queensland. It then goes south, turning west in Victoria and ending at the Grampians. The width of this huge range changes a lot, from about 160 km (100 mi) to over 300 km (186 mi).

The height difference between the coast and the eastern mountains affects Australia's climate. The mountains cause a lot of rain as clouds move over them. You can find many deep valleys, called gorges, where the land rises steeply.

What is the Great Dividing Range?
- What is the Range Made Of?
- How the Range Divides Rivers
History of the Great Dividing Range
Parks and Protected Areas
Images for kids
See also

What is the Great Dividing Range?

The Great Dividing Range covers a large part of eastern Australia.

A sign for the Great Dividing Range on the Kings Highway in New South Wales.

The Great Dividing Range is not just one single mountain chain. It's a complex system of many different mountain ranges, flat high areas called plateaus, and steep slopes known as escarpments. In some parts, the land is almost flat, with only small hills.

The highlands usually range from about 300 meters (984 feet) to 1,600 meters (5,249 feet) high.

What is the Range Made Of?

The Great Dividing Range is made from different types of rock. These include limestones, sandstone, quartzite, schists, and metamorphic dolomite. Their shapes were formed by powerful geological processes. These processes include faulting (where rocks break and move) and folding (where rocks bend).

How the Range Divides Rivers

The highest part of the range acts like a natural border for rivers. Rivers on the eastern side flow into the Pacific Ocean or south into Bass Strait. Rivers on the western side flow west and south into the Murray-Darling rivers. In the north, western rivers flow towards the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The term "Great Dividing Range" refers to both this river dividing line and all the hills and mountains. These mountains are found between Australia's east coast and its central plains. In some places, the range can be as wide as 400 km (249 mi). Many of the smaller ranges and features within it have their own names.

History of the Great Dividing Range

The Great Dividing Range was formed a very long time ago. This happened during the Carboniferous period, about 300 million years ago. At that time, a huge supercontinent called Pangaea was coming together.

Since then, the range has been worn down by erosion. This is why it is much lower today than younger mountain ranges like the Alps or the Himalayas. The highest point in the Great Dividing Range is Mount Kosciuszko, which stands at 2,228 meters (7,310 feet) tall.

Parks and Protected Areas

A large part of the Great Dividing Range is protected. It includes many national parks and other protected areas. Below is a list of some of these national parks. There are also many state forests in the area.

Alpine National Park – VIC
Bald Rock National Park – NSW
Barrington Tops National Park – NSW
Baw Baw National Park – VIC
Blue Mountains National Park – NSW
Border Ranges National Park – NSW
Brindabella National Park – NSW
Brisbane Ranges National Park – VIC
Budawang National Park – NSW
Bunya Mountains National Park – QLD
Burrowa-Pine Mountain National Park – VIC
Cathedral Rock National Park – NSW
Conondale National Park – QLD
Cunnawarra National Park – NSW
Dandenong Ranges National Park – VIC
Deua National Park – NSW

Dharug National Park – NSW
Gibraltar Range National Park – NSW
Girraween National Park – QLD/NSW
Grampians National Park – VIC
Guy Fawkes River National Park – NSW
Heathcote-Graytown National Park
Kanangra-Boyd National Park – NSW
Kosciuszko National Park – NSW
Lake Eildon National Park – VIC
Lamington National Park – QLD
Morton National Park – NSW
Mount Buffalo National Park – VIC
Mummel Gulf National Park – NSW
Namadgi National Park – ACT
Nattai National Park – NSW
New England National Park – NSW

Nowendoc National Park – NSW
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park – NSW
Snowy River National Park – VIC
South East Forest National Park – NSW
Springbrook National Park- QLD
Sundown National Park – QLD
Toonumbar National Park – NSW
Wadbilliga National Park – NSW
Washpool National Park – NSW
Werrikimbe National Park – NSW
Wollemi National Park – NSW
Yarra Ranges National Park – VIC
Yengo National Park – NSW

The Great Dividing Range, as seen from near Mount Hotham, Victoria.

The view from the peak of Mount Feathertop, looking north-east.

Images for kids

The Monaro Plains (top right) are drier than the green western slopes (bottom left) because they are in a rain shadow. (View of the Snowy Mountains region)
Mount Feathertop viewed from Smoko.
Some of Australia's most beautiful waterfalls, like Dangar Falls at Dorrigo, New South Wales, are found along the Great Dividing Range.
Several scenic railways, such as this one at Scenic World, Katoomba, climb short routes along the range.