Mount Kaputar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Kaputar |
|
|---|---|
 Mount Kaputar
Location in New South Wales
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,489 m (4,885 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | New South Wales, Australia |
| Parent range | Nandewar Range |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Between 17 and 21 million years ago |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Drive |
Mount Kaputar is a tall mountain in northern New South Wales, Australia. It stands about 1,489 meters (4,885 feet) above sea level. This mountain is part of the Nandewar Range and is protected inside the Mount Kaputar National Park.
Mount Kaputar is a very noticeable landmark for people traveling on the Newell Highway. It rises suddenly from the flat plains around it. In the cold winter months, the top of the mountain might even get a light dusting of snow.
Contents
Getting to Mount Kaputar
You can reach the top of Mount Kaputar from Narrabri. There is a winding and narrow road that is about 57 kilometers (35 miles) long. Part of this road is sealed, meaning it has a paved surface.
Close by is Mount Dowe, which is about 1,457 meters (4,780 feet) high. Mount Dowe has many tall antennas for telecommunications. You can see these large antennas from the Kamilaroi Highway if you are heading south towards Gunnedah.
At the very top of Mount Kaputar, you will find the Mount Kaputar Lookout. From here, you can enjoy amazing views. There are also other lookouts nearby, like Governor Lookout and Eckfords Lookout. If you want to stay longer, Dawson Spring offers cabins, picnic areas, and places for camping.
How Mount Kaputar Was Formed
Mount Kaputar is what is left of an extinct volcano. This means it was once an active volcano but is now no longer erupting. It was active a very long time ago, about 18 million years ago. Scientists believe that Mount Lindesay, another peak nearby, was probably the main center of this ancient volcano.
The main type of plants growing on the mountain are dry sclerophyll forests. These are forests with tough, hard-leaved trees, mostly eucalypts.
Plants of Mount Kaputar
Mount Kaputar has different types of plant life. You can find dry rainforests, dry eucalyptus forests, and heathlands. Heathlands are areas with small, shrubby plants.
There is a higher area called the Kaputar Plateau. This plateau is about 1,350 meters (4,430 feet) above sea level. Here, the main plants are open eucalyptus forests. These forests are mostly made up of snow gum, ribbon gum, and mountain gum trees.
Lower down the mountain, at about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level, you will find other common trees. These include the silver-top stringybark and rough-barked mountain gum. Heath plants also grow in small patches where it is very windy and the soil is not very deep. These conditions make it hard for larger trees to grow.
Animals of Mount Kaputar
Mount Kaputar is home to some very unique animals. One of the most famous is a giant, bright pink fluorescent pink slug. This amazing slug can grow up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) long! This special pink slug is found only on this one mountaintop in the world.
The mountain acts like an isolated island for animals and plants. Because it is so cut off from other areas, many endemic species have lived here for millions of years. Endemic means they are found nowhere else on Earth. A park ranger also shared that there are three types of cannibal snails living on the mountain. These snails hunt and eat other snails.
