The MacDonnell Ranges, or Tjoritja in
Arrernte
Arrernte (also spelt Aranda, etc.) is a descriptor related to a group of Aboriginal Australian peoples from Central Australia.
It may refer to:
* Arrernte (area), land controlled by the Arrernte Council (?)
* Arrernte people, Aboriginal Australi ...
, is a
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...
located in southern
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
. MacDonnell Ranges is also the name given to an
interim Australian bioregion broadly encompassing the mountain range, with an area of .
[IBRA Version 6.1](_blank)
data The range is a long series of mountains in central
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, consisting of parallel ridges running to the east and west of
Alice Springs
Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...
. The mountain range contains many spectacular gaps and gorges as well as areas of
Aboriginal significance.
The ranges were named after Sir
Richard MacDonnell (the
Governor of South Australia at the time) by
John McDouall Stuart, whose 1860 expedition reached them in April of that year. The
Horn Expedition investigated the ranges as part of the scientific expedition into central Australia. Other explorers of the range included
David Lindsay and
John Ross.
The MacDonnell Ranges were often depicted in the paintings of
Albert Namatjira
Albert Namatjira (born Elea Namatjira; 28 July 1902 – 8 August 1959) was an Arrernte painter from the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia, widely considered one of the greatest and most influential Australian artists. As a pioneer of cont ...
.
Geography
The highest peaks are
Mount Zeil with an elevation of
AHD,
Mount Liebig
Mount Liebig is a mountain with an elevation of in the southern part of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is one of the highest peaks of the MacDonnell Ranges and was named by the explorer Ernest Giles after the German chemist Justus v ...
at AHD,
Mount Edward
The Sweeney Mountains () is a group of mountains of moderate height and about extent, located north of the Hauberg Mountains in Palmer Land, Antarctica.
Discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, under Finn Ronne, ...
at ,
Mount Giles
:''See also Mount Giles (Antarctica)''
Mount Giles is one of the highest mountains in the Northern Territory, Australia, at . It lies along the MacDonnell Ranges, dominating Ormiston Pound, in the West MacDonnell National Park, approximately w ...
at and
Mount Sonder
Mount Sonder, or ''Rwetyepme'', its Aboriginal name, is the fourth highest mountain in the Northern Territory, Australia at . Mount Zeil is the highest at , to the west.
Location and features
Mt Sonder is west of Alice Springs along the Mac ...
at AHD; the five highest mountains in the Northern Territory.
The
headwaters
The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source.
Definition
The ...
of the
Todd
Todd or Todds may refer to:
Places
;Australia:
* Todd River, an ephemeral river
;United States:
* Todd Valley, California, also known as Todd, an unincorporated community
* Todd, Missouri, a ghost town
* Todd, North Carolina, an unincorporated ...
,
Finke and
Sandover rivers form in the MacDonnell Ranges. The range is crossed by the
Australian Overland Telegraph Line, the
Stuart Highway
Stuart Highway is a major Australian highway. It runs from Darwin, in the Northern Territory, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta in South Australia; a distance of . Its northern and southern extremities are segments of Aus ...
and the
Adelaide–Darwin rail corridor at the
Heavitree Gap
The Heavitree Gap, or ''Ntaripe'' in the Arrernte language, is a water gap in the Northern Territory of Australia in the MacDonnell Ranges. It is the southern entrance to the city of Alice Springs and in addition to the Todd River it carries the ...
, a
water gap
A water gap is a gap that flowing water has carved through a mountain range or mountain ridge and that still carries water today. Such gaps that no longer carry water currents are called wind gaps. Water gaps and wind gaps often offer a prac ...
created by the Todd River, at the southern entrance to Alice Springs.
Geology
Some 300-350 million years ago a mountain building event created the MacDonnell Ranges.
Since that time, folding, faulting and erosion have shaped the range and created numerous gaps and gorges.
The ranges are composed of many rock types, but are most famous for their red
quartzite
Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...
peaks and gorges. Other rock types include
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
,
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
,
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
and
siltstone.
Some of the valleys of the range contain fossil evidence of the
inland sea that once covered central Australia.
Ecology
Part of the
Central Ranges xeric scrub
The Central Ranges xeric scrub is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion of Australia.
Location and description
The region consists of sandy plains with some areas of rocky highland. These plains have a dry climate but do get some rain i ...
ecoregion
An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...
of dry scrubby grassland,
the ranges are home to a large number of endemic species that includes the centralian tree frog ''
Litoria gilleni''. This is mostly due to the
micro climate
A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squa ...
s that are found around the cold rock pools.
Tourist attractions
The
West MacDonnell National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell is a national park in the Northern Territory (Australia) due west of Alice Springs and 1234 km south of Darwin. It extends along the MacDonnell Ranges west of Alice Springs.
The popular extended walk, the Larapi ...
was established in 1984 to protect the numerous parks and reserves of the range, including internal residents inside the range.
It also facilitated the development of the
Larapinta Trail.
To the east of Alice Springs, within an hour's drive, are sites important to the local
Arrernte people, many of which contain examples of Aboriginal
rock art
In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...
. These include
Emily Gap,
Jessie Gap
Jessie may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jessie (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Jessie (surname), a list of people
Arts and entertainment
* ''Jessie'' (2011 TV series), a 2011–15 Disney Channel ...
,
Trephina Gorge
Trephina Gorge is a gorge in the Northern Territory of Australia located in the locality of Hart in the East MacDonnell Ranges about east of Alice Springs.
The gorge is named after the Trephina Creek which is believed to be named after ...
and
N’Dhala Gorge.
To the west of Alice Springs is the
Larapinta Trail—a world-class, long distance bush walking trail that runs along the backbone of the range.
Along the trail are
Simpsons Gap
Simpsons Gap ( Arrernte: ''Rungutjirpa'') is one of the gaps in the West MacDonnell Ranges in Australia's Northern Territory. It is located 18 kilometres west from Alice Springs, on the Larapinta Trail.
The gap is home to various plants and w ...
,
Standley Chasm
Standley Chasm is a geological formation located west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. It lies within the West MacDonnell National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell is a national park in the Northern Territory (Australia) due west ...
,
Ellery Creek Big Hole
Ellery may refer to:
* Ellery (duo), an American pop group
* Ellery (given name)
* Ellery (surname)
* Ellery, New York, a US town
* Ellery, Illinois, a US town
See also
* Ellery Lake, a lake in Ontario, Canada
* Mount Ellery, Australia
* Mou ...
,
Serpentine Gorge
Serpentine Gorge is one of the gorges in the West MacDonnell Ranges in Australia's Northern Territory. It is located approximately 100 kilometres west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Trail.
It comprises two gorges created by a south flowin ...
,
Ochre Pits
The Ochre Pits are a popular tourist destination in Australia's Northern Territory, approximately 100 kilometres west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Trail.
The pits consist of several layers of multi-coloured, layered rock that was traditi ...
,
Ormiston Pound
Ormiston Pound is a ring of mountains in the Northern Territory of Australia punctuating the MacDonnell Ranges, in the West MacDonnell National Park, approximately west of Alice Springs.West MacDonnell National Park Fact Sheet, Parks and Wildlif ...
,
Redbank Gorge,
Glen Helen Gorge,
Mount Sonder
Mount Sonder, or ''Rwetyepme'', its Aboriginal name, is the fourth highest mountain in the Northern Territory, Australia at . Mount Zeil is the highest at , to the west.
Location and features
Mt Sonder is west of Alice Springs along the Mac ...
and
Mount Giles
:''See also Mount Giles (Antarctica)''
Mount Giles is one of the highest mountains in the Northern Territory, Australia, at . It lies along the MacDonnell Ranges, dominating Ormiston Pound, in the West MacDonnell National Park, approximately w ...
.
Gallery
File:West MacDonnell National Park.JPG, From the Larapinta Trail near Glen Helen
File:Ellery_Creek.jpg, Ellery Creek Big Hole
File:A221, West MacDonnell National Park, Australia, Ellery Creek reflects River Red Gum trees, 2007.jpg, Ellery Creek and river red gum trees
File:Ochre Pits.jpg, Ochre pits
File:Simpsons Gap.jpg, Simpsons Gap
File:A160, West MacDonnell National Park, Australia, Serpentine Gorge, 2007.JPG, Serpentine Gorge
See also
*
Geography of Australia
The geography of Australia encompasses a wide variety of biogeographic regions being the world's smallest continent, while comprising the territory of the sixth-largest country in the world. The population of Australia is concentrated along ...
*
List of mountains in Australia
This is a list of mountains in Australia.
Highest points by state and territory
List of mountains in Australia by topographic prominence
This is a list of the top 50 mountains in Australia ranked by topographic prominence. Most of these ...
*
Pine Gap
Pine Gap is a satellite surveillance base and Australian Earth station approximately south-west of the town of Alice Springs, Northern Territory in the center of Australia. It is jointly operated by Australia and the United States, and sinc ...
*
Western Arrernte
Arrernte or Aranda (; ) or sometimes referred to as Upper Arrernte (Upper Aranda), is a dialect cluster in the Arandic language group spoken in parts of the Northern Territory, Australia, by the Arrernte people. Other spelling variations are A ...
*
N'Dhala Gorge Nature Park
*
Heavitree Gap
The Heavitree Gap, or ''Ntaripe'' in the Arrernte language, is a water gap in the Northern Territory of Australia in the MacDonnell Ranges. It is the southern entrance to the city of Alice Springs and in addition to the Todd River it carries the ...
References
External links
Arrernte art
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonnell Ranges
IBRA regions
Mountain ranges of the Northern Territory
Biogeography of the Northern Territory