Snowy Mountains

Snowy Mountains
The Snowies
The Kosciuszko Main Range
Highest point
Peak	Mount Kosciuszko
Elevation	2,228 m (7,310 ft)
Coordinates	36°27′S 148°16′E / 36.450°S 148.267°E / -36.450; 148.267
Geography
Worldwind image of Snowy Mountains
Country	Australia
State	NSW
Range coordinates	36°30′S 148°20′E / 36.5°S 148.33°E / -36.5; 148.33Coordinates: 36°30′S 148°20′E / 36.5°S 148.33°E / -36.5; 148.33
Parent range	Australian Alps

The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", is an IBRA subregion and the highest mountain range on the continent of mainland Australia. It contains the Australian mainland's highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches to a height of 2,228 m (7,310 ft) above sea level. The range also contains the five highest peaks on the Australian mainland (including Mount Kosciuszko), all of which are above 2,100 m (6,890 ft). They are located in southern New South Wales and are part of the larger Australian Alps and Great Dividing Range. Unusual for Australia, the mountain range experiences large natural snowfalls every winter. Snow normally falls the most during June, July and early August. Therefore, most of the snow usually melts by late spring. The Tasmanian highlands makes up the other (major) alpine region present in Australia.

The range is host to the mountain plum-pine, a low-lying type of conifer that is suspected of being the world's oldest living plant. It is considered to be one of the centres of the Australian ski industry during the winter months, with all four snow resorts in New South Wales being located in the region.

The Alpine Way and Snowy Mountains Highway are the major roads through the Snowy Mountains region.

The mountain range is thought to have had Aboriginal occupation for 20,000 years. Large scale intertribal gatherings were held in the High Country during summer for collective feasting on the Bogong moth. This practice continued until around 1865.

The area was first explored by Europeans in 1835, and in 1840, Edmund Strzelecki ascended Mount Kosciuszko and named it after the Polish patriot. High country stockmen followed who used the Snowy Mountains for grazing during the summer months. Banjo Paterson's famous poem The Man From Snowy River recalls this era. The cattle graziers have left a legacy of mountain huts scattered across the area. Today these huts are maintained by the National Parks and Wildlife Service or volunteer organisations like the Kosciuszko Huts Association.