Mount Woodroffe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Woodroffe |
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 Mount Woodroffe
Location in South Australia
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,435 m (4,708 ft) AHD |
| Prominence | South Australia's highest mountain |
| Geography | |
| Location | Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara South Australia, Australia |
| Parent range | Musgrave Ranges |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Mount Woodroffe, also known as Ngarutjaranya (officially Ngarutjaranya/Mount Woodroffe), is a mountain in the Australian state of South Australia. It is located in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands in the state's northwest. This mountain is South Australia's highest peak, standing tall at 1,435 meters (about 4,708 feet).
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What's in a Name? Cultural Stories
The name Ngarutjaranya comes from the Pitjantjatjara language, spoken by the traditional owners of this land. For the Pitjantjatjara people, this mountain is very special. In their ancient stories, it represents a mythological creature called Ngintaka.
Where is Mount Woodroffe?
Mount Woodroffe is found in the far northwest of South Australia. It is part of the Musgrave Ranges. This mountain range rises about 700 to 800 meters from the flat plains around it. It is made up of large rock formations of granite and gneiss.
A Look Back: History of Mount Woodroffe
Early Explorers and Naming
The first European explorer to travel through this area was William Ernest Giles. He camped south of Mount Woodroffe on September 7, 1873. Another explorer, William Christie Gosse, had already named it Mount Woodroffe on July 20 of the same year. The mountain was named after George Woodroffe Goyder, who was a Surveyor-General of South Australia and an early Australian explorer.
A Telescope's Almost Home
In the 1960s, Ngarutjaranya was considered as a possible location for a huge telescope. This was the proposed Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). However, it was not chosen because it was too far away. Instead, the AAT was built at Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, where other important observatories are located.
Visiting Mount Woodroffe
Access to Mount Woodroffe is limited. You need a special permit to enter the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands where the mountain is located. This helps protect the land and its cultural significance.
See also
