Australian Elevation Map

Click on the map to see a topographical map of Australia.

Australia's main mountain range is the Great Dividing Range on the east coast. The eastern seaboard is where most Australians live, as this area gets substantial rainfall to support a large population. Most of Australia is actually desert or semi arid. The south of both Western and South Australia supports reasonably large populations. Both areas enjoy a mediterranean climate. The island state of Tasmania, just below the Australian continent is one of the most mountainous islands on Earth and has a temperate climate with regular rainfall

The highest peak in Australia is not Mt Kosciuszko on the main continent as most think, rather it is Mawson's Peak on Heard Island which is located in the Southern Ocean, south of the Australian continent, near the Antarctica. This mountain is an active volcano which stands 2745 metres high. There are higher mountains in the Australian Antarctic Territory, but this territory is not sovereign to Australia.

The highest mountains on the mainland are in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, which are part of the Great Dividing Range. This range is the fifth longest in the world. It separates the central lowlands from the eastern highlands and spans Victoria in the south through all of New South Wales. Its northern extent is Northen Queensland's Cape York Peninsula. These mountains can be seen on the right side of the map.

The small long and narrow Mountain range in South Australia is called the Flinders Ranges which are visible at the bottom middle of the map

The north of Western Australia contains some isolated ranges such as the King Leopold and Hamersley ranges.

Central Australia is a flat plain with some eroded mountain ranges, including the Macdonnell Ranges in the southern part of the Northern Territory down to the Musgrave Ranges and Stuart Range in the northern part of South Australia.

The Island state of Tasmania contains rugged mountains and is geologically part of the Great Dividing Range in the mainland.