Kostsyushko Mountain is one of the highest peaks in the world

Scientists compiled a rating of the highest mountains in the world. There are Everest, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, etc. The seventh place on this list is the mountain range of Kosciusko. It decorates the terrain of one state called New South Wales. Very often you can hear the question: "Where is Kostsyushko Mountain?". In order to satisfy the reader's curiosity, this article will provide detailed information about this top.

So, let's start with the answer to the main question. Where is it located? Mount Kosciusko is located in the southeast of the Australian continent in a mountain range called the Australian Alps. It is an ornament of the park of the same name, which is the national treasure of the country.

First ascent

The first ascent of a European to this mountain took place in February 1840. The pioneer was the Polish geographer and traveler Pavel Strzelecki. He described the peak with its surroundings and gave it the title of pioneer. But unlike the tradition accepted then to assign to the geographical discoveries the names of the saints or their discoverer, the Pole acted in an original way. He named the mountain he conquered by the name of his compatriot Tadeusz Kosciuszko.

What is this man famous for, that in his honor was named a mountain on a distant continent? Tadeusz Kosciuszko (1746-1817) is a hero of Poland and the USA, an honorary citizen of France. He - a member of the movements for independence in the United States (1775-1783 gg.) And the Russian-Polish war of 1792, one of the leaders of the Polish uprising in 1794.

But for the local population correctly pronounce the name of the Polish hero seems to be a whole problem. That is why the mountain of Kostsyushko in Australia is called the local population in its own way - "Koziosko".

Short description of the mountain

The peak of Kosciuszko enters the highest mountain system of Australia - the Australian Alps, which, in turn, is part of the Great Dividing Range. This system is the largest on the continent. It stretches along the coast for four thousand kilometers in the eastern and south-eastern part of the island. The size of the mountains on the "Green Continent" is small, and with its modest dimensions this peak is the highest in Australia. The height of the Kosciuszko mountain is 2,228 m.

Climatic features

The air temperature on the mountain is never below zero degrees. Even in the coldest period of the year, it is a minimum of +2 degrees Celsius. The coldest time in Australia is in June-August. In these months, the Great Divided Range is covered by a snow cover. By the way, this region is the coldest on the whole continent. Therefore, in this short period, lovers of winter sports from all over Australia and Oceania come here.

Holidays in the mountains

Mount Kosciusko occupies the main place in this pilgrimage, thanks to the developed infrastructure for tourism and sports. Several tourist routes lead to the top. In addition, at the very top you can climb the cable car, while watching a wonderful landscape.

Around the mountain of Kosciusko is the park with the same name. Its main attraction is hot water springs. The temperature in them is maintained naturally at a level of +27 degrees and remains constant year-round. This is used by numerous tourists who specially come for many hundreds of kilometers to take a hot natural bath.

Surrounding nature

In addition, at the foot of the mountain there are many small picturesque lakes. They are all of glacial origin. In the park are the sources of the three largest rivers in the region - Murray River, Gungarlin River and Snowy River. Kostsyushko Mountain until recently was covered with magnificent forests. But a few years ago, because of strong fires, the trees almost completely burned out. To restore the former beauty, it will take more than a decade.

These fires have caused serious damage to the animal and vegetable world of these places, which is interesting for its diversity. It is in the park that rare animals live, for example, mountain couscous. This small rodent lives in the vicinity of Mount Kosciusko and is nowhere else on the planet. Also in the park there are several rare species of lizards and small birds. The entire animal and plant world, which is rich in Kosciuszko Mountain, is protected by the state and UNESCO. This allows you to observe the harmony between wildlife and a huge number of tourists (more than 1 million a year) who come here to admire the scenic nature of Australia.