Mount Hopeless (South Australia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Hopeless(Maiurru Mitha Vambata) |
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 Mount Hopeless
(Maiurru Mitha Vambata) Location in South Australia
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 128 m (420 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Murnpeowie, South Australia, Australia |
Mount Hopeless / Maiurru Mitha Vambata is a small rise in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia. It's located southwest of Lake Blanche. This "mountain" is actually a stony hill, only about 127 meters (417 feet) high. It was given its memorable name by the explorer Edward Eyre.
Why "Hopeless"?
In June 1840, Edward Eyre began an important journey. He left Adelaide hoping to be the first European explorer to reach the center of the Australian continent. By early September, his expedition faced huge challenges. The land was extremely dry, and most of the water they found was salty.
Eyre felt very discouraged. He believed that Adelaide was cut off from the inner parts of Australia by a huge, horseshoe-shaped salt lake. On September 2, 1840, he climbed a stony hill. He named it "Mount Hopeless" because the view from the top made him feel very sad and without hope.
He wrote that the great salt lake stretched out to the north and east. This made him realize his dream of exploring further was impossible. He understood that the land they were on was almost like an island, surrounded by this vast salt basin.
A Tough Place to Reach
Years later, in 1861, another famous explorer named Robert O'Hara Burke tried to reach Mount Hopeless. Burke was part of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition. He, William John Wills, and John King were stranded near Cooper Creek.
Burke made several attempts to get to Mount Hopeless, hoping to find a way out or help. However, he failed each time. He had to return to Cooper Creek, where he and Wills sadly died shortly after. This shows just how difficult and unforgiving the landscape around Mount Hopeless can be.
