Mount Sir Thomas facts for kids

Mount Sir Thomas is a mountain in northwest South Australia. It in the Watarru Indigenous Protected Area, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Watarru. It is in the Birksgate Range, which is part of the traditional country of the Pitjantjatjara people. An important rock hole is located near the base of the mountain, called Kaḻayapiṯi (sometimes written Kaḻaiapiṯi), meaning "Emu Water". It is a major sacred site for the Kaḻaya Tjukurpa (Emu Dreaming).

The mountain was given the name "Sir Thomas" by a team of European explorers in 1891. They were on the Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition, which travelled across the Great Victoria Desert between April 1891 and March 1892. The mountain was named after Sir Thomas Elder, the philanthropist who funded and equipped the expedition. The surrounding range is named after Elder's home in Adelaide, a large house called "Birksgate". Mount Lindsay, to the northeast, was named after the leader of the expedition, David Lindsay.