Editing Great Dividing Range

{{Short description|Mountain range in Australia}}
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{{More citations needed|date=February 2020}}
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{{Use Australian English|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name              = Great Dividing Range
| native_name       = 
| other_name        = {{hlist|Eastern Highlands|Great Divide}}
| photo             = The_great_dividing_range.jpg
| photo_caption     = Great Dividing Range
<!-- *** Country etc. *** -->
| country           = Australia<ref name="AustraliDotGovDotAu"/>
| subdivision1_type = States/Districts
| subdivision1      = {{hlist|[[New South Wales]]|[[Queensland]]|[[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]|[[Australian Capital Territory]]}}
<!-- *** Orography *** -->
| geology           = 
| age               = Carboniferous
| orogeny           = 
<!-- *** Geography *** -->
| area_km2          = 
| length_km         = 3500
| length_orientation= North–South
| width_km          = 
| width_orientation = 
| highest           = [[Mount Kosciuszko]]
| highest_location  = [[Snowy Mountains]]
| elevation_m       = 2228
| elevation_ref     = <ref name="KNP"/>
| coordinates       = {{coord|36|27|21|S|148|15|49|E|region:AU|display=inline}}
| range_coordinates = {{coord|25|S|147|E|region:AU|display=inline,title}}
| map_image         = Topography_of_australia_great_dividing_range.jpg
| map_size          = 240
| map_caption       = The Great Dividing Range consists of a complex of mountain ranges, plateaus, upland areas and escarpments.
}}

The '''Great Dividing Range''', also known as the '''East Australian Cordillera''' or the '''Eastern Highlands''', is a [[cordillera]] system in eastern [[Australia]] consisting of an expansive collection of [[mountain range]]s, [[plateau]]s and [[hill|rolling hills]]. It runs roughly parallel to the [[east coast of Australia]] and forms the [[list of longest mountain chains on Earth|fifth-longest land-based mountain chain in the world]], and the longest entirely within a single country. It is [[mainland Australia]]'s most substantial [[topographic feature]] and serves as the definitive [[drainage divide|watershed]] for the [[river system]]s in eastern Australia, hence the name.

The Great Dividing Range stretches more than {{convert|3500|km|mi|0}} from [[Dauan Island, Queensland|Dauan Island]] in the [[Torres Strait]] off the northern tip of [[Cape York Peninsula]], running the entire length of the eastern coastline through [[Queensland]] and [[New South Wales]], then turning west across [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] before finally fading into the [[Wimmera|Wimmera plains]] as rolling hills west of the [[Grampians (region)|Grampians region]].  The width of the Range varies from about {{convert|160|km|mi|-1|abbr=on}} to over {{convert|300|km|mi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Shaw">Shaw, John H., ''Collins Australian Encyclopedia'', William Collins Pty Ltd., Sydney, 1984, {{ISBN|0-00-217315-8}}</ref> The [[Greater Blue Mountains Area]], [[Gondwana Rainforests]] and [[Wet Tropics of Queensland]] [[World Heritage Area]]s are located in the Range. The highest place in Australia, the {{cvt|2228|m}} [[Mount Kosciuszko]], resides in the [[Snowy Mountains]] portion of southern Great Dividing Range.

==Geography==
The Dividing Range does not consist of a single continuous [[mountain chain]], but is rather a combined complex ([[cordillera]]) of [[mountain range]]s, [[plateau]]s, [[hill]]y [[highland|upland]] areas and [[escarpment]]s with an ancient and complex [[Historical geology|geological history]]. The physiographic division name for the landmass is called the ''East Australian Cordillera''. In some places the terrain is relatively flat, consisting of very low hills.<ref name="goa"/> Typically the highlands range from {{convert|300|to|1600|m}} in height.<ref name="goa"/>  The mountains and plateaus, which consist of [[limestone]]s, [[sandstone]], [[quartzite]], [[schist]]s and [[Dolomite (rock)|dolomite]], have been created by faulting and folding processes.<ref name="eowg">{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of World Geography |last=Haggett |first=Peter |year=2001 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish |isbn=0-7614-7289-4 |page=3211 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P_1mrjk0IY8C |access-date=23 December 2012 }}</ref>

The [[mountain crest|crest]]s of the Great Dividing Range is defined by the [[drainage divide|watershed boundary]] between the [[drainage basin]]s of [[river system]]s east (the coastal or [[windward|rainward]] side) and west (the inland or [[leeward]] side) of it.  The higher and more rugged parts of the "range" do not necessarily form part of the crest of the range, but may be branches and offshoots from it. The term "Great Dividing Range" may refer specifically to the watershed crest of the range, or to the entire upland complex including all of the hills and mountains between the east coast of Australia and the central plains and lowlands.  At some places it can be up to {{convert|400|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} wide.<ref name="goa"/> Notable ranges and other features which form part of the range complex have their own distinctive names.{{citation needed |date=May 2025}}

As a [[rule of thumb]], rivers east/southeast of the Dividing Range drain directly eastward into the [[South Pacific Ocean|South Pacific]] and the [[Tasman Sea]], or southward into the [[Bass Strait]].  Rivers west of the Dividing Range drain in various westerly directions according to latitudes: the [[Murray–Darling basin]] in southeastern Australia ([[Darling Downs]]/eastern [[South West Queensland]], West/Central [[New South Wales]], [[Northern Victoria Region|Northern Victoria]] and the [[Murraylands]]/[[Riverland]] region of southeastern [[South Australia]]) drain southwestwards into the [[Great Australian Bight]] via the coastal [[Lake Alexandrina (South Australia)|Lake Alexandrina]];<ref name="goa">{{cite book |title=The Geology of Australia |last=Johnson |first=David |year=2009 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-76741-5 |page=202 }}</ref> the eastern half of the [[Lake Eyre basin]] in east central Australia (the [[Cooper Creek]] and [[Warburton River]] systems in [[Central Queensland|Central]]/western [[South West Queensland]] and eastern [[Far North (South Australia)|Far North]] of South Australia) drain southwestwards into the [[endorheic lake|endorheic]] [[Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre]]; the numerous rivers of western [[Cape York Peninsula]] in northeastern Australia ([[North Queensland|North]]/[[Far North Queensland]]) drain westwards or northwestwards directly into the [[Gulf of Carpentaria]].{{citation needed |date=May 2025}}

==Climate==
[[File:Worldwind-SnowyMountains.jpg|thumb|The Monaro Plains (top right) are drier than the verdant western upslopes (bottom left) as they lie in a rain shadow. (View of the [[Snowy Mountains]] region)]]
The sharp rise between the coastal lowlands and the eastern uplands has affected [[climate of Australia|Australia's climate]], mainly due to [[precipitation (meteorology)#Orographic effects|orographic precipitation]], and these areas of highest relief have revealed an impressive gorge country.<ref>{{cite book |last=Löffler |first=Ernst |author2=A.J. Rose |author3=Anneliese Löffler |author4=Denis Warner |title=Australia:Portrait of a Continent |year=1983 |publisher=Hutchinson Group |location=Richmond, Victoria |isbn=0-09-130460-1 }}</ref> Areas to the east of the mountain range in southern NSW usually experience a [[Föhn effect]], which is a [[Australian foehn winds|dry wind originating from the Great Dividing Range]] that abruptly raises the air temperature in the lee of that mountain range and reduces atmospheric moisture.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Drechsel |first1=S. |last2=Mayr |first2=G.J. |title=Objective Forecasting of Foehn Winds for a Subgrid-Scale Alpine Valley |journal=Weather and Forecasting |date=2008 |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=205–218 |doi=10.1175/2007WAF2006021.1|bibcode=2008WtFor..23..205D |s2cid=123497649 |doi-access=free }}</ref> This dry wind, which elevates [[bushfires in Australia|fire danger]] in the warm months, occurs because of the partial [[orographic]] obstruction of relatively damp low-level air and the subsiding of drier upper-level air in [[leeward]] of the mountains. The drier air is then heated more because of the [[adiabatic]] compression as it comes down the lee slopes, forming a [[rain shadow]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sharples |first1=J.J. |last2=Mills |first2=G.A. |last3=McRae |first3=R.H.D. |last4=Weber |first4=R.O. |title=Foehn-Like Winds and Elevated Fire Danger Conditions in Southeastern Australia |journal=Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology |date=2010 |volume=49 |issue=6 |pages=1067–1095 |doi=10.1175/2010JAMC2219.1|bibcode=2010JApMC..49.1067S |doi-access=free }}</ref>

In the cool season, the Great Dividing Range would shield much of the southeast (i.e. [[Sydney]], [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]], [[Hunter Valley]], [[Illawarra]], the [[Australian Capital Territory|ACT]], the [[Monaro region|Monaro]] and [[South Coast (New South Wales)|South Coast]]) from south-westerly [[cold fronts]] that originate from the [[Southern Ocean]], which bring chilling rains, [[Rain and snow mixed|sleet]] and snow to the [[upwind]] side of the ranges, such as on the western [[Central Tablelands]], [[South West Slopes]] and [[Snowy Mountains]] regions – all which have relatively wetter winters.<ref>[https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/5291/rain+shadows.html Rain Shadows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922232632/https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/5291/rain+shadows.html |date=22 September 2021 }} by Don White. Australian Weather News. Willy Weather. Retrieved 24 May 2021.</ref> Upwind locations include [[Crookwell, New South Wales|Crookwell]], [[Batlow]], [[Tumut]], [[Corryong]], [[Bright, Victoria|Bright]], [[Beechworth, Victoria|Beechworth]], [[Eildon, Victoria|Eildon]], [[Tolmie, Victoria|Tolmie]] and those in [[West Gippsland]] (namely the [[Latrobe Valley]] and [[Wilsons Promontory]]). Whereas on the [[downwind]] (eastern) slopes, [[Cooma]], [[Omeo]], [[Goulburn, New South Wales|Goulburn]], [[Bowral, New South Wales|Bowral]], [[Bombala, New South Wales|Bombala]], [[Nimmitabel]], and [[Canberra]], are warmer and drier relative to altitude.<ref>[https://thenewdaily.com.au/weather/2020/05/28/bom-winter-weather-forecast-2020/ And the outlook for winter is … wet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725121537/https://thenewdaily.com.au/weather/2020/05/28/bom-winter-weather-forecast-2020/ |date=25 July 2021 }} by Kate Doyle from [[The New Daily]]. Retrieved 24 May 2021.</ref>

Moreover, [[Oberon, New South Wales|Oberon]], [[Shooters Hill (New South Wales)|Shooters Hill]] and [[Sunny Corner, New South Wales|Sunny Corner]] are on the crest of the ranges and thus exposed from all directions, hence their evenly spread rainfall. The main ski resorts in New South Wales, such as [[Thredbo|Thredbo Village]], [[Perisher Valley|Perisher]] and [[Charlotte Pass]], lie transitionally between the leeward and windward side (the former town being more leeward and the latter more windward). Although they receive substantial precipitation from over the crest of the ranges, they lack the persistent cloud cover which characterises truly windward locations on the western face, which are; [[Cabramurra]], [[Kiandra]], [[Mount Buller]], [[Falls Creek Alpine Resort|Falls Creek]], [[Mount Hotham]], [[Mount Buffalo]] and [[Mount Baw Baw]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hoinka |first1=K.P. |title=Observation of the airflow over the alps during a foehn event |journal=Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society |date=1985 |volume=111 |issue=467 |pages=199–224 |doi=10.1002/qj.49711146709 |bibcode=1985QJRMS.111..199H |url=https://elib.dlr.de/111836/1/Hoinka-AirflowOverAlps-qj1985.pdf |access-date=24 January 2023 |archive-date=11 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211085004/https://elib.dlr.de/111836/1/Hoinka-AirflowOverAlps-qj1985.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:GreatDividingRangeSign.jpg|thumb|upright|Great Dividing Range sign on the [[Kings Highway (Australia)|Kings Highway]] between [[Braidwood, New South Wales|Braidwood]] and [[Bungendore, New South Wales]]]]

The Great Dividing Range was formed during the [[Carboniferous|Carboniferous period]]—over 300 million years ago—when Australia collided with what are now parts of South America and New Zealand.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Prost | first1=G. | last2=Prost | first2=B. | title=The Geology Companion: Essentials for Understanding the Earth | publisher=CRC Press | year=2017 | isbn=978-1-4987-5609-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E82GDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA98 | access-date=2 February 2020 | page=98}}</ref> The range has experienced significant erosion since. (See [[Geology of Australia]].)

For tens of thousands of years prior to British colonisation the ranges were home to various [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal Australian]] nations and clans. Evidence remains in some places of their traditional way of life including decorated caves, campsites and trails used to travel between the coastal and inland regions. Many descendants of these nations still exist today, and some remain the [[traditional owners]] and custodians of their lands.{{citation needed |date=May 2025}}

After British colonisation in 1788, the ranges were an obstacle to exploration and settlement by the British settlers. Although not high, parts of the highlands were very rugged. Crossing the [[Blue Mountains (Australia)|Blue Mountains]] was particularly challenging due to the mistaken idea that the creeks should be followed rather than the ridges, and almost impenetrable, labyrinthine, sandstone mountains.<ref name="cgr">{{cite web |url=http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/crossing-the-great-dividing-range |title=Crossing the Great Dividing Range—surveying an ancient land |date=10 December 2008 |work=About Australia |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=19 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20111220051440/http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/crossing-the-great-dividing-range |archive-date=20 December 2011 }}</ref> The Blue Mountains actually lie to the east of the watershed that divides the [[Hawkesbury River|Hawkesbury]]–[[Nepean River|Nepean]] system and the [[Murray–Darling basin|Murray–Darling system]], the true Great Dividing Range. The watershed in this area lies to the west of [[Lithgow, New South Wales|Lithgow]], passing near the locality of Mt Lambie<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/1797368/big-blue-when-it-comes-to-the-great-dividing-range/|title=Big blue when it comes to the Great Dividing Range|date=24 September 2013|website=Lithgow Mercury|language=en|access-date=27 February 2020|archive-date=27 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227211202/https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/1797368/big-blue-when-it-comes-to-the-great-dividing-range/|url-status=live}}</ref> and village of [[Capertee, New South Wales|Capertee]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lithgow-tourism.com/capertee.htm|title=Capertee – Lithgow Tourism|website=lithgow-tourism.com|date=14 January 2018|access-date=27 February 2020|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925094836/https://lithgow-tourism.com/capertee.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> There, as in some other places in New South Wales, the Great Divide is only a slight rise in the surrounding topography.

Knowing that local Aboriginal people had already established routes crossing the range and by making use of Aboriginal walking trails, a usable ridge-top route was finally discovered by Europeans directly westward from Sydney across the Blue Mountains to [[Bathurst, New South Wales|Bathurst]] by an [[1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains|expedition]] jointly led by [[Gregory Blaxland]], [[William Lawson (explorer)|William Lawson]] and [[William Wentworth|William Charles Wentworth]].<ref name=ADB-Blaxland>{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography|title=Gregory Blaxland (1778–1853) |id2=blaxland-gregory-1795|first=Jill|last=Conway|year=1966|volume=1|access-date=30 May 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20130601145434/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/blaxland-gregory-1795|archive-date=1 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="cgr"/> Towns in the Blue Mountains were later named after each of these men. This was the start of the development of the agricultural districts of inland [[New South Wales]]. A road was built to [[Blaxland, New South Wales|Blaxland]] by convicts within six months. Easier routes to inland New South Wales were discovered towards [[Goulburn]] to the southwest, and westwards from [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]].

Subsequent explorations were made across and around the ranges by [[Allan Cunningham (botanist)|Allan Cunningham]], [[John Oxley]], [[Hamilton Hume]], [[Paul Edmund Strzelecki]], [[Ludwig Leichhardt]] and [[Thomas Mitchell (explorer)|Thomas Mitchell]]. These explorers were mainly concerned with finding and appropriating good agricultural land.{{citation needed |date=May 2025}}

By the late 1830s, the most fertile rangelands adjacent to the mountain ranges had been explored, appropriated from the traditional inhabitants and some settled. These included the [[Gippsland]] and [[Riverina]] regions in the south, up to the [[Liverpool Plains]] and the [[Darling Downs]] in the north.{{citation needed |date=May 2025}}

Various road and railway routes were subsequently established through many parts of the ranges, although many areas remain remote to this day. For example, in eastern Victoria there is only one major road crossing the highlands from north to south, the [[Great Alpine Road]].{{citation needed |date=May 2025}}

==Natural components==
[[File:BrightVictoria2.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Feathertop|Mt Feathertop]] viewed from [[Smoko, Victoria|Smoko]]]]
Parts of the highlands consisting of relatively flat and, by Australian standards, well-watered land were developed for agricultural and pastoral uses. Such areas include the [[Atherton Tableland]] and [[Darling Downs]] in Queensland, and the [[Northern Tablelands]], [[Southern Highlands, New South Wales|Southern Highlands]] and [[Southern Tablelands]] in [[New South Wales]]. Other parts of the highlands are too rugged for agriculture and have been used for forestry.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Many parts of the highlands which were not developed are now included in [[National Parks]].

All of [[Australia (continent)|mainland Australia]]'s alpine areas, including its highest mountain, [[Mount Kosciuszko]] ({{convert|2228|m|ft|disp=or}} [[Australian Height Datum|AHD]]), are part of this range, called the [[Main Range (Snowy Mountains)|Main Range]].<ref name="goa"/> The highest areas in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria are known as the [[Australian Alps]].

The central core of the Great Dividing Range is dotted with hundreds of peaks and is surrounded by many smaller mountain ranges or spurs, [[canyon]]s, [[valley]]s and plains of regional significance.  Some of the major plains include the [[High Plains (Australia)|High Plains]] of South-Eastern Australia, the Southern Highlands, the [[Central Highlands (Victoria)|Central Highlands]] and [[Bogong High Plains]] of Victoria. Other tablelands considered part of the Great Dividing Range are the [[Atherton Tableland]], [[Canberra wine region]] and the [[Southern Tablelands]].

The [[Dandenong Ranges]], [[Barrington Tops]], [[Bunya Mountains]], [[Blue Mountains (New South Wales)|Blue Mountains]], [[Liverpool Range]], [[McPherson Range]]s and the [[Moonbi Range]] are some of the smaller spurs and ranges that make up the greater dividing range. Other notable ranges and tablelands which form part of the Great Dividing Range include the [[Liverpool Range]], [[Mount Royal Range]] and the [[Monaro, New South Wales|Monaro District]]. Whilst some of the peaks of the highlands reach heights of a little over {{convert|2000|m}}, the age of the range and its erosion mean that most of the mountains are not very steep, and virtually all peaks can be reached without mountaineering equipment.

In some areas, such as the [[Snowy Mountains]], [[Victorian Alps]], the [[Scenic Rim]] and the eastern escarpments of the [[New England (Australia)|New England]] region, the highlands form a significant barrier. The eastern escarpment is the site of many spectacular waterfalls which were formed by rivers plunging off the tablelands. In other areas the slopes are gentle and in places the range is barely perceptible.<ref name="Shaw"/>

Well known passes on the range include [[Coxs Gap]], [[Cunninghams Gap]], [[Dead Horse Gap]], [[Nowlands Gap]], and [[Spicers Gap]].

Major cities located on the upland areas of the range include [[Canberra]], [[Toowoomba]] and the outer suburbs of [[Sydney]], [[Melbourne]], [[Brisbane]], [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]] and [[Cairns, Queensland|Cairns]] in north Queensland. Many towns and cities are located on the range, and also in lowland areas and foothills adjacent to the highlands. There is a strong natural history and cultural attachment to the Dividing Range region in towns and on many, sometimes remote, landholdings.
Some of the towns/cities located on or near the range include:
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
* [[Canberra]] – ACT
* [[Albury]] – NSW
* [[Queanbeyan]] – NSW
* [[Goulburn]] – NSW
* [[Cooma]] – NSW
* [[Jindabyne]] – NSW
* [[Katoomba, New South Wales|Katoomba]] – NSW
* [[Lithgow, New South Wales|Lithgow]] – NSW
* [[Oberon, New South Wales|Oberon]] – NSW
* [[Bowral]] – NSW
* [[Yass, New South Wales|Yass]] – NSW
{{col-break}}
* [[Crookwell]] – NSW
* [[Cowra]] – NSW
* [[Young, New South Wales|Young]] – NSW
* [[Bathurst, New South Wales|Bathurst]] – NSW
* [[Orange, New South Wales|Orange]] – NSW
* [[Wellington, New South Wales|Wellington]] – NSW
* [[Blayney, New South Wales|Blayney]] – NSW
* [[Mudgee]] – NSW
* [[Cessnock, New South Wales|Cessnock]] – NSW
* [[Wauchope, New South Wales|Wauchope]] – NSW
* [[Casino, New South Wales|Casino]] – NSW
* [[Grafton, New South Wales|Grafton]] – NSW
* [[Inverell]] – NSW
* [[Glen Innes, New South Wales|Glen Innes]] – NSW
* [[Gunnedah]] – NSW
* [[Singleton, New South Wales|Singleton]] – NSW 
* [[Armidale]] – NSW
* [[Tamworth, New South Wales|Tamworth]] – NSW
* [[Narrabri]] – NSW
* [[Coonabarabran]] – NSW
* [[Scone, New South Wales|Scone]] – NSW
* [[Gloucester, New South Wales|Gloucester]] – NSW
* [[Dorrigo, New South Wales|Dorrigo]] – NSW
* [[Walcha, New South Wales|Walcha]] – NSW
* [[Guyra]] – NSW
* [[Tenterfield]] – NSW
{{col-break}}
* [[Roma, Queensland|Roma]] – Qld
* [[Gatton, Queensland|Gatton]] – Qld
* [[Dalby, Queensland|Dalby]] – Qld
* [[Goondiwindi]] – Qld
* [[Beaudesert, Queensland|Beaudesert]] – Qld
* [[Toowoomba]] – Qld
* [[Pittsworth, Queensland|Pittsworth]] – Qld
* [[Stanthorpe]] – Qld
* [[Warwick, Queensland|Warwick]] – Qld
* [[Kingaroy]] – Qld
* [[Biloela]] – Qld
* [[Emerald, Queensland|Emerald]] – Qld
* [[Moranbah]] – Qld
* [[Blackwater, Queensland|Blackwater]] – Qld
* [[Clermont, Queensland|Clermont]] – Qld
* [[Charters Towers]] – Qld
* [[Atherton, Queensland|Atherton]] – Qld
* [[Mareeba]] – Qld
{{col-break}}
* [[Omeo]] – Vic
* [[Healesville]] – Vic
* [[Gisborne, Victoria|Gisborne]] – Vic
* [[Ballarat]] – Vic
* [[Beaufort, Victoria|Beaufort]] – Vic
* [[Bendigo]] – Vic
* [[Ararat, Victoria|Ararat]] – Vic
* [[Heathcote, Victoria|Heathcote]] – Vic
* [[Stawell, Victoria|Stawell]] – Vic
* [[Seymour, Victoria|Seymour]] – Vic
* [[Benalla]] – Vic
* [[Castlemaine, Victoria|Castlemaine]] – Vic
* [[Kilmore, Victoria|Kilmore]] – Vic
* [[Kyneton]] – Vic
* [[Maryborough, Victoria|Maryborough]] – Vic
* [[Shepparton]] – Vic
* [[Wallan]] – Vic
* [[Wodonga]] – Vic
* [[Wangaratta]] – Vic
{{col-end}}

===Water catchments===
[[File:Dangar Falls Dorrigo (1).JPG|thumb|Some of the most spectacular waterfalls in Australia, such as Dangar Falls at [[Dorrigo, New South Wales]], are located along the Great Dividing Range.]]

The lower reaches are used for forestry, an activity that causes friction with conservationists. The range is also the source of virtually all of eastern Australia's water supply, both through runoff caught in dams, and throughout much of Queensland, through the [[Great Artesian Basin]].

Valleys along the chain of mountains have yielded a water source for important reservoirs and water supply projects such as the [[Upper Nepean Scheme]], [[Snowy Mountains Scheme]] and [[Warragamba Dam]].

The [[Bradfield Scheme]] has been mooted as a way to transport water from the [[Wet Tropics of Queensland]] in the coastal northeast of [[Far North Queensland]] via a series of [[Dams]] & [[Tunnel]]s, southwest to inland dryer regions, including a tunnel through the Great Dividing Range into the [[Flinders River]] then a tunnel into the Torrens Creek in the [[White Mountains National Park]] then flows south into [[Thomson River (Queensland)|Thompson River]] / [[Cooper Creek]], part of the [[Eyre Basin]]. Many other variations have been proposed.

The Great Dividing Range creates the [[drainage basin]]s of the [[Australian south-east coast drainage division]] and the [[Australian north-east coast drainage division]], whose water flows to [[East Coast of Australia|the east coast]] and into the Pacific Ocean, [[Tasman Sea]], and [[Bass Strait]] with the westerly [[Murray–Darling basin]] which flow inland, away from the coast into the interior plains.

Some of the rivers which flow west of the ranges includes the [[Condamine River]], [[Flinders River]], [[Herbert River]], [[Lachlan River]], [[Macdonald River (Bendemeer)|Macdonald River]], [[Macintyre River]] and [[Namoi River]].<ref name="AustraliDotGovDotAu"/> Rivers that flow north into the Murray–Darling Basin from Victoria include the [[Goulburn River|Goulburn]], [[Mitta Mitta River|Mitta Mitta]], [[Kiewa River|Kiewa]], [[Ovens River|Ovens]], [[King River (Victoria)|King]], [[Loddon River|Loddon]] and [[Campaspe River|Campaspe]] rivers. Rivers that flow east into the Pacific Ocean include the [[Annan River]], [[Barron River (Queensland)|Barron River]], [[Brisbane River]], [[Burdekin River]], [[Burnett River]], [[Clarence River (New South Wales)|Clarence River]], [[Daintree River]], [[Fitzroy River (Queensland)|Fitzroy River]], [[Hastings River]], [[Hawkesbury River]], [[Hunter River (New South Wales)|Hunter River]], [[Karuah River]], [[Macleay River]], [[Mary River (Queensland)|Mary River]], [[Pascoe River]], [[Richmond River]] and the [[Shoalhaven River]]. Those that flow south, primarily through Victoria, include the [[Snowy River|Snowy]], [[Cann River|Cann]], [[Tambo River (Victoria)|Tambo]], [[Mitchell River (Victoria)|Mitchell]], [[Latrobe River|Latrobe]], [[Thomson River (Victoria)|Thomson]], [[Yarra River|Yarra]], [[Werribee River|Werribee]], [[Hopkins River|Hopkins]] and [[Glenelg River (Victoria)|Glenelg]] rivers.<ref name="Shaw"/>

==Features==
At some high hill passes the range provides cool sites appropriate for [[vineyard]]s.<ref name="nwa">{{cite book |title=New Wine Atlas: Wines and Wine Regions of the World |last=Clarke |first=Oz |author-link=Oz Clarke |year=2002 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |isbn=0-15-100913-9 |page=300 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nSoxj_3e89MC |access-date=18 December 2011}}</ref>

===Railways===
[[File:Katoomba scenic railway track 1.jpg|thumb|right|A number of scenic railways, such as this one at [[Scenic World]], [[Katoomba, New South Wales|Katoomba]], climb various shorter routes along the range]]
The engineers of early rail passages across the Great Dividing Range needed to find low sections of the range to cross, as well as suitable, "low" gradient paths up the mountains on either side. Rail passages include:
* [[Great Northern Railway (Mt Isa line)|Townsville-Mt Isa]]
* [[Central Western railway line|Rockhampton-Winton]]
* [[Main Line railway, Queensland|Brisbane–Toowoomba]] (1867) (2.0% gradient)
* [[Main Northern railway line|Newcastle–Tamworth]] (c 1870), summit at [[Ardglen Tunnel]] (2073' HASL)
* [[Sandy Hollow-Gulgong railway line]] started in the 1930s to Maryvale ([[Main Western railway line]]), completed the 1980s to [[Gulgong railway station|Gulgong]], summit just west of [[Ulan, New South Wales|Ulan]] – (500M / 1640') The lowest, 4th & last crossing in NSW.
* [[Main Western railway line|Sydney–Lithgow]] (1869), crossing the range via the [[Blue Mountains (New South Wales)|Blue Mountains]] (summit near [[Bell railway station, New South Wales|Bell]] 3507' HASL) (3.00% gradient)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nswrail.net/trivia/altitude.php|title=NSW Railway Altitude Highs and Lows|website=www.nswrail.net|access-date=29 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023101610/http://nswrail.net/trivia/altitude.php|archive-date=23 October 2017}}</ref>
* [[Main Southern railway line|Sydney–Goulburn]] (1869), though the divide is actually a few kilometres further west near the crossing with Parkesbourne Road near [[Cullerin railway station|Cullerin]]. The next 300&nbsp;km descending to [[Wagga Wagga railway station|Wagga Wagga]] was originally fast, but regrading in the 1920s introduced many curves.
* [[North East railway line|Melbourne–Seymour]], crossing the range near [[Heathcote Junction railway station|Heathcote Junction]] (1872) (2.08% gradient)
* [[Deniliquin railway line|Melbourne–Bendigo]], crossing the range near [[Woodend, Victoria|Woodend]] (1862) (1093' HASL)
* [[Serviceton railway line|Melbourne–Ararat]] (1875) via [[Ballarat]]

===Road transport===
Many of Australia's highways such as the [[Alpine Way]], [[Great Alpine Road]], [[Snowy Mountains Highway]], [[Hume Highway]], [[Illawarra Highway]], [[Northern Highway, Victoria|Northern Highway]], [[Melba Highway]], [[Maroondah Highway]], [[Midland Highway, Victoria|Midland Highway]], [[Pyrenees Highway]], [[Sunraysia Highway]], [[Monaro Highway]], [[Olympic Highway]], [[Newell Highway]], [[Lachlan Valley Way]], [[Barton Highway]], [[Federal Highway, Australia|Federal Highway]], [[Kings Highway, Australia|Kings Highway]], [[Great Western Highway]], [[Mitchell Highway]], [[Mid-Western Highway]], [[Castlereagh Highway]], [[Mulligan Highway]], [[Capricorn Highway]], [[Cunningham Highway]], [[Gore Highway]], [[Flinders Highway, Queensland|Flinders Highway]], [[Gregory Highway]], [[Peak Downs Highway]], [[Dawson Highway]], [[New England Highway]], [[Golden Highway]], [[Bruxner Highway]], [[Gwydir Highway]], [[Oxley Highway]], [[Warrego Highway]], [[Summerland Way]], [[Waterfall Way]], [[Thunderbolts Way]], the [[Calder Highway]], the [[Western Highway, Victoria|Western Highway]], and the [[Murray Valley Highway]] traverse parts of the range.

===Protected areas===
Much of the range lies within a succession of [[national park]]s and other [[Protected areas of Australia|reserves]]. Most of the national parks are listed below, and there are almost double that amount of state forests.<ref>''Melway'', Edition 35 2008, Touring Maps</ref><ref>''Brisway'', Edition 1, 2005</ref>
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* [[Alpine National Park]] – Vic
* [[Annan River National Park]] – Qld
* [[Apudthama National Park]] – Qld
* [[Bago Bluff National Park]] – NSW
* [[Bald Rock National Park]] – NSW
* [[Barrington Tops National Park]] – NSW
* [[Baw Baw National Park]] – Vic
* [[Bellinger River National Park]] – NSW
* [[Blackbraes National Park]] – Qld
* [[Blackdown Tableland National Park]] – Qld
* [[Blue Mountains National Park]] – NSW
* [[Border Ranges National Park]] – NSW
* [[Brindabella National Park]] – NSW
* [[Brisbane Ranges National Park]] – Vic
* [[Budawang National Park]] – NSW
* [[Budderoo National Park]] – NSW
* [[Bunya Mountains National Park]] – Qld
* [[Burrowa-Pine Mountain National Park]] – Vic
* [[Cape Melville National Park]] – Qld
* [[Carnarvon National Park]] – Qld
* [[Cathedral Rock National Park]] – NSW
* [[Conimbla National Park]] – NSW
* [[Conondale National Park]] – Qld
* [[Cottan-Bimbang National Park]] – NSW
* [[Cunnawarra National Park]] – NSW
* [[Daintree National Park]] – Qld
* [[Dandenong Ranges National Park]] – Vic
* [[Deua National Park]] – NSW
* [[Dharug National Park]] – NSW
* [[Dipperu National Park]] – Qld
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* [[Forty Mile Scrub National Park]] – Qld
* [[Gibraltar Range National Park]] – NSW
* [[Girraween National Park]] – Qld/NSW
* [[Girringun National Park]] – Qld
* [[Goobang National Park]] – NSW
* [[Goulburn River National Park]] – NSW
* [[Grampians National Park]] – Vic
* [[Greater Bendigo National Park]] – Vic
* [[Guy Fawkes River National Park]] – NSW
* [[Hann Tableland National Park]] – Qld
* [[Heathcote-Graytown National Park]]- Vic
* [[Humboldt National Park]] – Qld
* [[Kanangra-Boyd National Park]] – NSW
* [[Kara Kara National Park]] – Vic
* [[Koreelah National Park]] – NSW
* [[Kosciuszko National Park]] – NSW
* [[Kroombit Tops National Park]] – Qld
* [[Kulla National Park]] – Qld
* [[Kumbatine National Park]] – NSW
* [[Kuranda National Park]] – Qld
* [[Lake Eildon National Park]] – Vic
* [[Lamington National Park]] – Qld
* [[Lockyer National Park]] – Qld
* [[Macalister Range National Park]] – Qld
* [[Main Range National Park]] – Qld
* [[Morton National Park]] – NSW
* [[Mount Buffalo National Park]] – Vic
* [[Mount Kaputar National Park]] – NSW
* [[Mount Lewis National Park]] – Qld
* [[Mowbray National Park]] – Qld
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* [[Mummel Gulf National Park]] – NSW
* [[Namadgi National Park]] – ACT
* [[Nattai National Park]] – NSW
* [[New England National Park]] – NSW
* [[Nowendoc National Park]] – NSW
* [[Nymboida National Park]] – NSW
* [[Oxley Wild Rivers National Park]] – NSW
* [[Oyala Thumotang National Park]] – Qld
* [[Paluma Range National Park]] – Qld
* [[Ravensbourne National Park]] – Qld
* [[Snowy River National Park]] – Vic
* [[South East Forests National Park]] – NSW
* [[Springbrook National Park]]- Qld
* [[Starcke National Park]] – Qld
* [[Sundown National Park]] – Qld
* [[Tapin Tops National Park]] – NSW
* [[Towarri National Park]] – NSW
* [[Toonumbar National Park]] – NSW
* [[Ulidarra National Park]] – NSW
* [[Undara Volcanic National Park]] – Qld
* [[Wadbilliga National Park]] – NSW
* [[Warrabah National Park]] – NSW
* [[Warrumbungle National Park]] – NSW
* [[Washpool National Park]] – NSW
* [[Werrikimbe National Park]] – NSW
* [[White Mountains National Park]] – Qld
* [[Willi Willi National Park]] – NSW
* [[Woko National Park]] – NSW
* [[Wollemi National Park]] – NSW
* [[Wollumbin National Park]] – NSW
* [[Woomargama National Park]] – NSW
* [[Wooroonooran National Park]] – Qld
* [[Yarra Ranges National Park]] – Vic
* [[Yengo National Park]] – NSW
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[[File:Mt hotham alpine range scenery.jpg|thumb|upright=2.68|center|The Great Dividing Range, as seen from near [[Mount Hotham]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]]]
[[File:Mt. Feathertop444 edit.jpg|thumb|upright=2.68|center|View from the peak of Mount Feathertop, facing north-east, showing the Fainters and other mountains]]

== Awards ==
In 2009 as part of the [[Q150]] celebrations, the Great Dividing Range was announced as one of the [[Q150 Icons]] of Queensland for its role as a "location".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|title=PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS|last=Bligh|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Bligh|date=10 June 2009|publisher=[[Queensland Government]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|archive-date=24 May 2017|access-date=24 May 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Mountains}}
* [[List of mountain ranges]]
* [[List of mountains in Australia]]
* [[Great Escarpment, Australia]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="AustraliDotGovDotAu">{{cite web | last=Australia.gov | title=Australian Rocks and Mountains | url=http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-rocks-and-mountains | access-date=18 September 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715180947/http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-rocks-and-mountains | archive-date=15 July 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>
<ref name="KNP">{{cite web |title=Kosciuszko National Park |work=Australian Alps National Parks |publisher=Australian Government |url=http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/parks/kosciuszko.html |access-date=18 May 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107042005/http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/parks/kosciuszko.html%20 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|auto=1}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071103075843/http://www.culture.gov.au/articles/rocksandmountains/ Australian rocks and mountains]
* [http://www.australianexplorer.com/great_dividing_range.htm Australian Explorer]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928024859/http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/greatdividingrange/ Crossing the Great Dividing Range]
* [http://nrgeology.blogspot.com.au/search/label/great%20dividing%20range Northern Rivers (NSW) Geology Blog – Great Dividing Range]

{{New South Wales mountains |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Great Dividing Range| ]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Queensland]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Drainage divides]]
[[Category:Mountains of Hume (region)]]
[[Category:Cordilleras]]
[[Category:Q150 Icons]]