Mount Gibraltar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Gibraltar |
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| Aboriginal: Bowrell | |
Mount Gibraltar seen from the west
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 863 m (2,831 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Mount Gibraltar
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | Southern Highlands, New South Wales, Australia |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | 150 million years |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | (by European), John Wilson, 1798 |
Mount Gibraltar is a mountain in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. It stands 863 meters (about 2,831 feet) tall. The local Aboriginal people call it Bowrell. You can find it between the towns of Bowral and Mittagong. The town of Berrima is a bit further west.
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About Mount Gibraltar
People who live nearby often call Mount Gibraltar 'The Gib'. It's not a pointy mountain peak, but more like a long ridge. The western end of this ridge is usually what people think of as the mountain. 'The Gib' is mostly a place where people live, but it also has a big nature reserve at its very top.
The first European explorer to climb Mount Gibraltar was John Wilson in 1798. He learned the name 'Bowrell' from the local Aboriginal people, which means 'a high place'. Another famous explorer, Sir Thomas Mitchell, also climbed Mount Gibraltar.
How 'The Gib' Was Formed
Scientists believe 'The Gib' was formed about 150 million years ago. It's thought to be the remains of a collapsed volcanic core. This core pushed up through the local Hawkesbury Sandstone rock layers.
For many years, the western slopes of 'The Gib' were home to a quarry. This quarry mined the volcanic rock called trachyte. The quarry closed in 1986. You can still visit the site by following a walking track that starts near the Bowral Swimming Pool. The former Mount Gibraltar Trachyte Quarries Complex is now a special heritage site in New South Wales.
Mount Gibraltar Reserve
The highest point of Mount Gibraltar is 863 meters above sea-level. This area includes the Mount Gibraltar Reserve. Alderman Joshua Stokes bought this reserve in 1919. There's a large stone monument in the Reserve that remembers him.
The plants in the Reserve are quite special. They are a rare example of a plant community that grows on volcanic soil. A common tree you'll see there is the Eucalyptus fastigata, also known as Brown Barrel.
Since 1994, a group called Landcare has been working to protect the Reserve. Their goal is to remove plants that don't naturally belong there, like Privet, Barberry, Ivy, Honeysuckle, and others. They have also made a full list of all the plant species found in the Reserve.
Lookout Points and Views
'The Gib' has three special spots where you can look out over the towns of Bowral and Mittagong. On a clear day, you can even see 'The Gib' from Echo Point in Katoomba, which is about 70–80 kilometers away. Some people confuse it with the nearby, pointy Mount Jellore. If the sky is very clear, you might even be able to see the distant skyline of Sydney!
The rocky peak of 'The Gib' is also home to several telecommunications and broadcasting towers. These include Telstra's microwave transmission links, which help send phone and internet signals.
The homes built on Mount Gibraltar are some of the most expensive in the Southern Highlands.
Railway Line
The Main South Railway runs along the western base of Mount Gibraltar. It goes through a tunnel under Evans Street in Bowral. The first tunnel here only had one track. But in the 1920s, it was replaced with a double track tunnel, allowing two trains to pass at once.
Gallery
- Mount Gibraltar images
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Western extremity, looking eastwards from Welby. -
Inner Bowl Picnic Area -
Dense stands of timber, Inner Bowl -
Telecommunications towers -
Igneous rock exposed at peak -
Memorial to Joshua Stokes
Images for kids
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Western extremity, looking eastwards from Welby. -
Inner Bowl Picnic Area -
Dense stands of timber, Inner Bowl -
Telecommunications towers -
Igneous rock exposed at peak -
Memorial to Joshua Stokes
