Mountains in Australia

Australia’s mountains are not high by world standards, but they have influenced the spread of human settlement, and they affect the weather and the presence of water in the environment. From the ancient, weathered ranges in the deserts, to the Great Dividing Range and the extinct volcanoes, Australia’s mountain landscapes are varied and beautiful. Many of the plants and animals are unique, such as the hibernating Mountain Pygmy Possum, whose habitat is under constant threat. Mountains are special places for the Australian Aboriginal people. Created by their ancestor and creation spirits, mountains have important connections with the Dreamtime stories that stretch back to the beginning of human civilisation in Australia.