Highest Point in Australia 2025 | Statistics & Facts

Highest Point in Australia 2025

The highest point in Australia mainland territory stands as a remarkable geographic landmark that has captivated explorers, mountaineers, and tourists for generations. Mount Kosciuszko, reaching an elevation of 2,228 meters (or 7,310 feet) above sea level, represents the pinnacle of mainland Australia’s topography and forms an integral part of the country’s natural heritage. Located within the stunning Kosciuszko National Park in southeastern New South Wales, this peak sits approximately 240 miles southwest of Sydney, positioned near the border between New South Wales and Victoria. The mountain’s prominence extends beyond mere elevation statistics, embodying significant cultural, environmental, and recreational importance for both Australian citizens and international visitors who journey to experience its alpine majesty.

Understanding the highest point in Australia 2025 requires appreciation of both its geological formation and contemporary significance. The mountain exists within the Australian Alps, part of the Great Dividing Range, which separates the central lowlands from the eastern highlands. Unlike the dramatic peaks found in ranges such as the European Alps or the Himalayas, the Australian Alps were formed through geological uplift and volcanic activity rather than tectonic plate collision, resulting in a more gently undulating highland surface. This unique formation history has created an accessible summit that welcomes over 100,000 climbers annually, making it one of the most visited mountain peaks in the Australian continent. The area surrounding Mount Kosciuszko encompasses globally significant alpine ecosystems, rare flora and fauna, and serves as the headwaters for major river systems including the Snowy, Murray, and Murrumbidgee rivers.

Interesting Stats & Facts About Highest Point in Australia 2025

Data Source: Geoscience Australia National Geodetic Database; NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; Kosciuszko National Park Official Records; Australian Alps National Parks Authority

Analysis of Highest Point in Australia 2025 Facts

The data presented in the facts table reveals the multifaceted significance of Mount Kosciuszko as Australia’s highest point in 2025. The mountain’s elevation of 2,228 meters positions it as the dominant peak on the Australian mainland, though it remains considerably lower than mountains on other continents, with Australia being the flattest continent with an average elevation of only 330 meters. The official recognition from Geoscience Australia, the nation’s premier geographic authority, confirms this measurement through their National Geodetic Database established in 1993, providing scientific accuracy to the elevation data. The mountain’s naming history reflects Australia’s multicultural heritage, as Polish explorer Paul Edmund Strzelecki’s 1840 expedition honored the Polish-Lithuanian hero Tadeusz Kościuszko, with the spelling officially corrected to include the Polish characters in 1997 after decades of anglicization.

The visitor statistics demonstrate the mountain’s exceptional accessibility and popularity as a recreational destination. With over 100,000 people summiting annually and the broader Kosciuszko National Park attracting approximately 3 million visitors each year, this represents one of Australia’s most visited natural attractions. The relatively manageable hiking distances of 13 kilometers from Thredbo and 19 kilometers from Charlotte Pass, combined with average completion times of 4 to 8 hours, make the summit achievable for hikers of varying experience levels. The 1977 closure of vehicle access demonstrates Australia’s commitment to environmental conservation, requiring visitors to walk or cycle the final sections to minimize ecological impact on fragile alpine vegetation. The park’s fee structure, with $29 per vehicle during peak winter season and $17 during other periods, supports conservation efforts while maintaining accessibility. The presence of the Thredbo Kosciuszko Express chairlift operating year-round further enhances accessibility, particularly for those with limited mobility or time constraints. The construction of Australia’s highest public toilet at Rawson Pass in 2007 addresses the practical needs of the 100,000 annual visitors while protecting the pristine alpine environment from human waste contamination, showcasing modern infrastructure solutions to wilderness management challenges.

Australia’s Ten Highest Mountains in 2025

Data Source: Geoscience Australia National Geodetic Database (1993); National Gazetteer of Australia

Highest Mountains Analysis in Australia 2025

The comprehensive elevation data from Geoscience Australia reveals a striking geographic concentration of Australia’s highest peaks within a remarkably small area. All ten highest mountains in mainland Australia are located within New South Wales, specifically concentrated in the Snowy Mountains region, with most peaks situated along the Main Range or adjacent ranges. This clustering demonstrates the unique geological formation of the Australian Alps, where a single uplifted plateau contains virtually all of the continent’s peaks exceeding 2,000 meters elevation. The relatively small elevation difference between Mount Kosciuszko at 2,228 meters and the tenth-highest peak Mount Northcote at 2,131 meters spans only 97 meters, illustrating the gently undulating nature of Australia’s alpine plateau rather than the dramatic, jagged peaks characteristic of younger mountain ranges formed by tectonic plate collision.

The naming patterns within the ten highest mountains reflect both Australia’s colonial history and the ongoing challenges of geographic documentation. Mount Kosciuszko and Mount Townsend bear names honoring historical figures, while two peaks remain officially unnamed despite their prominence, designated only by their location relative to other features like Etheridge Ridge and Abbott Peak. This nomenclature gap reflects the subjective challenges identified by Geoscience Australia in mountain classification, where determining whether an elevation represents a distinct peak or merely part of a ridge system requires careful geographic analysis. The Main Range dominates the list with seven of the ten highest peaks, while the Rams Head Range contributes two peaks including the fourth-highest Rams Head at 2,190 meters and sixth-highest Rams Head North at 2,177 meters. The data from the 1993 National Geodetic Database combined with the National Gazetteer of Australia provides the authoritative source for these measurements, representing decades of surveying work and geographic analysis. Interestingly, the relatively modest elevation difference across the top ten peaks means that hikers completing the Main Range Walk can traverse multiple peaks over 2,100 meters in a single multi-day trek, offering an accessible alpine experience unique to the Australian landscape and demonstrating why this region attracts both serious mountaineers and casual hikers seeking high-altitude adventures.

Highest Point by State and Territory in Australia 2025

Data Source: Geoscience Australia National Geodetic Database (1993)

State and Territory Highest Points Analysis in Australia 2025

The elevation data across Australia’s states and territories reveals the dramatic geographic diversity of the continent, with Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales standing 242 meters higher than any other state or territory peak and nearly double the elevation of the lowest state high point. New South Wales claims the highest point at 2,228 meters, followed by Victoria with Mount Bogong at 1,986 meters, representing a difference of 242 meters between the two southeastern states. The Australian Capital Territory, despite its small size, possesses an impressive high point at Bimberi Peak reaching 1,912 meters in the Brindabella Range, located within Namadgi National Park and straddling the border with New South Wales. This elevation places the ACT’s highest point above those of Tasmania, Queensland, and all territories and states to the north and west, reflecting the concentration of high-altitude terrain in southeastern Australia.

Tasmania ranks fourth with Mount Ossa at 1,617 meters in the Central Highlands, while Queensland follows closely with Mount Bartle Frere at 1,611 meters, a difference of only 6 meters between these two states. The northern and western regions of Australia show progressively lower maximum elevations, with the Northern Territory reaching 1,531 meters at Mount Zeil in the MacDonnell Ranges, South Australia achieving 1,435 meters at Mount Woodroffe in the Musgrave Ranges, and Western Australia topping out at 1,253 meters with Mount Meharry in the Hamersley Range. This 975-meter elevation difference between Mount Kosciuszko and Mount Meharry illustrates the concentration of high terrain in southeastern Australia compared to the generally flat and arid interior and western regions. Each of these peaks is protected within national parks or Indigenous lands, demonstrating Australia’s commitment to preserving its most significant geographic landmarks. The Geoscience Australia National Geodetic Database from 1993 provides these official measurements, establishing the scientific foundation for understanding Australia’s topographic diversity and enabling accurate geographic education, tourism planning, and environmental management across the nation’s varied landscapes.

Kosciuszko National Park Statistics in Australia 2025

Data Source: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; Australian Alps National Parks Authority; Kosciuszko National Park Official Records

Kosciuszko National Park Statistics Analysis in Australia 2025

The statistical profile of Kosciuszko National Park establishes it as one of Australia’s most significant protected areas, with its 6,900 square kilometers making it the largest national park in New South Wales and a cornerstone of the Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves network. The park’s impressive 3 million annual visitors positions it among Australia’s most visited national parks, reflecting both its accessibility and the diverse recreational opportunities it offers across all seasons. The concentration of 100,000 people specifically summiting Mount Kosciuszko each year represents approximately 3.3 percent of total park visitors, indicating that while the summit attracts significant attention, the vast majority of visitors engage with the park’s other features including ski resorts, wilderness areas, historic huts, and alpine lakes.

The park’s establishment history spans over a century, beginning as the National Chase Snowy Mountains on December 5, 1906, transitioning to Kosciusko State Park in 1944, and finally becoming Kosciuszko National Park in 1967. The 1997 spelling correction from “Kosciusko” to “Kosciuszko” represented an important cultural acknowledgment of the mountain’s Polish namesake and reflects Australia’s evolving commitment to historical accuracy and cultural respect. The park’s location 354 kilometers from Sydney and approximately 100 kilometers from Canberra makes it readily accessible to Australia’s two major population centers, contributing significantly to its high visitation numbers. The 150-kilometer north-south extent encompasses remarkable landscape diversity, from the gentle Monaro plains to the rugged alpine peaks, while its contiguous connection with Alpine National Park in Victoria and Namadgi National Park in the Australian Capital Territory creates one of Australia’s largest continuous protected areas exceeding 1.2 million hectares.

The park’s four ski resorts—Perisher, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass, and Mount Selwyn—transform the region into Australia’s premier winter sports destination, with the 4 to 6 month snow season typically running from June through October above 1,400 meters elevation. This seasonal transformation from summer hiking paradise to winter wonderland demonstrates the park’s year-round appeal and economic importance to surrounding communities including Jindabyne, Cooma, and Tumut. The park’s designation as Australia’s only mainland location with multiple peaks exceeding 2,000 meters and its status as the headwaters for four major river systems—the Snowy, Murray, Murrumbidgee, and Gungarlin—underscore its critical environmental significance beyond recreation. The park’s National Heritage listing recognizes both its natural values and its cultural importance, including the historic Snowy Mountains Scheme infrastructure and the generations of high-country cattlemen whose mountain huts still dot the landscape, maintained by volunteer organizations and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service as tangible links to Australia’s alpine pastoral history.

Snowy Mountains Scheme Statistics in Australia 2025

Data Source: Snowy Hydro Limited; National Archives of Australia; Institution of Civil Engineers; American Society of Civil Engineers

Snowy Mountains Scheme Statistics Analysis in Australia 2025

The Snowy Mountains Scheme represents Australia’s largest engineering project and one of the most complex hydroelectric developments globally, as recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers designation as a “world-class civil engineering project.” Constructed between 1949 and 1974 at a cost of $820 million in 1974 dollars (equivalent to approximately $6 billion in early 2000s currency), the project was completed remarkably on time and on budget despite its unprecedented scale and complexity. The scheme’s infrastructure includes 16 major dams, 9 power stations, 145 kilometers of tunnels, and 80 kilometers of aqueducts, with the astonishing reality that 98 percent of the scheme’s infrastructure exists underground, invisible to casual observers yet forming an intricate web of water management beneath the Australian Alps.

The human dimension of the Snowy Mountains Scheme reflects a defining chapter in Australia’s post-World War II development and multicultural history. Over 100,000 workers from more than 30 nations contributed to the project’s construction over 25 years, with approximately 65,000 immigrant workers representing 65 percent of the total workforce. These “New Australians” brought diverse skills, languages, and cultures to remote mountain construction camps, fundamentally shaping Australia’s evolution into a multicultural society. The project’s 121 worker deaths represent a sobering human cost, though safety standards were considered advanced for the era, including pioneering the compulsory use of seat belts in vehicles and developing innovative rock bolting techniques that advanced global civil engineering and mining practices. The construction of 1,600 kilometers of roads and tracks opened previously inaccessible alpine regions, while the creation of seven townships and over 100 camps supported the massive workforce, with two settlements—Khancoban and Cabramurra—becoming permanent towns, the latter earning distinction as Australia’s highest town.

The scheme’s operational capacity demonstrates its enduring importance to Australia’s energy and water security in 2025. The 9 power stations contain 33 turbines generating a total installed capacity of 4,100 megawatts, producing approximately 4,500 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually, currently providing 32 percent of all renewable energy available to eastern Australia’s major cities including Sydney, Canberra, and Brisbane. The water management component delivers an average 570 gigalitres annually to the Murray River via Hume Reservoir under normal conditions, increasing to 920 gigalitres during drought periods, supporting an irrigated farming industry worth approximately $3 billion annually and representing more than 40 percent of Australia’s agricultural production gross value. Lake Eucumbene, the scheme’s largest reservoir with a capacity 8 times that of Sydney Harbour, serves as the central water storage hub, while Talbingo Dam with its 161.5-meter wall height represents the scheme’s most imposing structure. The ongoing Snowy 2.0 expansion project adds 2,200 megawatts of pumped-storage capacity, increasing total generating capacity to 6,300 megawatts and providing critical energy storage to support Australia’s transition to renewable energy sources, ensuring the scheme remains vital infrastructure for the nation’s sustainable energy future into the coming decades.

Mount Kosciuszko Summit Routes in Australia 2025

Data Source: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service; Australian Hiker Trail Records; UIAA Mountain Medicine Documentation

Mount Kosciuszko Summit Routes Analysis in Australia 2025

The diversity of summit routes to Mount Kosciuszko reflects the mountain’s unique position as both Australia’s highest peak and one of its most accessible alpine summits, accommodating everyone from casual day-hikers to serious mountaineers. The Thredbo Summit Walk from the Thredbo Top Station represents the most popular and accessible route, with the Kosciuszko Express chairlift operating year-round to transport visitors to 2,037 meters elevation, reducing the walk to approximately 13 kilometers round trip with 720 meters of elevation gain. This route typically requires 4 to 5 hours for completion and features spectacular valley views, crossing the headwaters of the Snowy River and passing Lake Cootapatamba, Australia’s highest lake. The presence of a metal-grate mesh walkway protects fragile alpine vegetation while ensuring stable footing for the estimated 100,000 annual visitors, many of whom choose this route specifically for its combination of accessibility and scenic beauty.

For more experienced hikers seeking longer wilderness experiences, the Charlotte Pass routes offer additional challenges and rewards. The Summit Trail from Charlotte Pass spans 18.6 to 19 kilometers round trip with approximately 600 meters of elevation gain, following a historic management road that once permitted vehicles to within meters of the summit until environmental concerns prompted closure in 1977. This broader trail remains popular with mountain bikers who can ride to Rawson Pass before walking the final 1.4 kilometers to the summit. The alternative Main Range Trail from Charlotte Pass extends to approximately 22 kilometers round trip with around 800 meters of cumulative elevation gain, offering more dramatic alpine scenery with views of glacial lakes and surrounding peaks, though the variable elevation changes increase difficulty compared to the steadier gradient of the Summit Trail.

The Hannel’s Spur Track represents the most challenging and historic route to Mount Kosciuszko, ascending 15.5 kilometers one-way from Geehi Valley with an extraordinary 1,800 meters of vertical elevation gain, officially designated as Australia’s biggest vertical ascent. This demanding route follows the path taken by Polish explorer Paul Edmund Strzelecki during his 1840 first ascent and subsequent naming of the mountain, traversing through the Western Fall Wilderness Zone and passing through four distinct biodiversity bands from valley floor to alpine summit. The route typically requires 8 to 10 hours of strenuous uphill hiking and is significantly less traveled than the eastern approaches, offering solitude and a genuine wilderness experience. All routes converge at or near Rawson Pass, where Australia’s highest public toilet serves the thousands of weekly visitors, before the final gentle ascent to the summit cairn at 2,228 meters. Winter climbing introduces additional complexity to all routes, with snow cover from June through October requiring proper equipment including crampons and ice axes, winter navigation skills, and awareness of rapidly changing weather conditions including whiteout potential, though the same basic routes remain accessible to properly equipped and experienced winter mountaineers seeking the challenge of Australia’s premier winter alpine environment.

External Territories Highest Points in Australia 2025

Data Source: Geoscience Australia; Australian Antarctic Division; National Geographic Data

External Territories Analysis in Australia 2025

Australia’s highest points extend far beyond the mainland, with the most elevated peaks located in the Australian Antarctic Territory. In the eastern sector, Mount McClintock stands at 3,490 metres (11,450 feet), rising from an ice-free rocky landscape and surpassing mainland Australia’s Mount Kosciuszko by 1,262 metres. The western region features Mount Menzies, reaching 3,355 metres (11,007 feet), another dominant rocky prominence that still towers 1,127 metres above Kosciuszko. Even more extreme is the unnamed ice dome located near 82°E, 56°S, with an estimated elevation of over 4,000 metres (13,120+ feet). This makes it the highest known point within Australian territory, standing at least 1,772 metres higher than Mount Kosciuszko, although its precise height remains unconfirmed due to Antarctic environmental conditions.

Beyond the frozen continent, Australia’s external islands also feature dramatic high points shaped by volcanic activity. On Heard Island, the summit of the active Big Ben volcano, known as Mawson Peak, reaches 2,745 metres (9,006 feet). Although lower than the Antarctic peaks, it still stands 517 metres higher than Mount Kosciuszko, making it one of Australia’s most significant elevation landmarks outside the mainland. Together, these geographically diverse high points highlight the vast and varied nature of Australia’s territorial landscape—from towering Antarctic mountains and massive ice domes to volcanic islands rising sharply from the Southern Ocean.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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