Great Dividing Range

Great Dividing Range, system of mountain ranges and plateaus in eastern Australia. Also known as the Great Divide or Eastern Highlands, it extends for 3,000 km (1,900 mi) along the eastern coast of Australia from Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland to Victoria State; a branch of the system is submerged in Bass Strait before reappearing as the central highlands of the island of Tasmania. Sections of the Great Dividing Range include the Clarke and McPherson ranges (in Queensland), the Blue Mountains (near Sydney), the Australian Alps and the Snowy Mountains (near Canberra), and the Grampians (near Melbourne). The Great Dividing Range varies greatly in geologic age and topography. The eastern slopes of the range are generally steeper than the western slopes. Mount Kosciusko (2,228 m/ 7,310 ft), in the Australian Alps, is the highest peak in Australia. The Australian Alps draw many skiers during winter months. Several major rivers, including the Darling, Murray, Murrumbidgee, and Snowy, rise in the Great Dividing Range.