Mount Kaputar, a mountain with an elevation of

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

, is located near Narrabri in northern New South Wales. It is part of the

Nandewar Range The Nandewar Range, a mountain range that is part of the Great Dividing Range, is located in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. The range is situated approximately east of the township of Narrabri. John Oxley was th ...

and has been preserved within the Mount Kaputar National Park. The mountain is a prominent

landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances. In modern use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures or f ...

for travellers on the Newell Highway as it rises abruptly from the plains. In the cold of winter the mountain may receive a light dusting of snow.Snow on Mount Kaputar, Oz Forecast
/ref>

Access

The summit is accessible from Narrabri via a long, winding and narrow road that is partly sealed. Neighboring

Mount Dowe Mount Dowe is a mountain in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of an old shield volcano that was active around 18 million years ago. With an elevation of above sea level, Mount Dowe is the second highest moun ...

, with an elevation of above sea level, contains various telecommunications broadcasting equipment and the large antenna is visible from the Kamilaroi Highway heading south towards Gunnedah. There is a lookout at the top of the peak called Mount Kaputar Lookout. Nearby is the Governor Lookout and Eckfords Lookout as well as Dawson Spring with cabins, picnic tables and camping facilities. Mount kaputar summit view 2008

Geology

Mount Kaputar is the remnants of an extinct volcano that was active about 18 million years ago.Mount Kapural National Park park guide. rochureNew South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. June 1994. Mount Lindesay was probably the centre of the volcano. The predominant vegetation on the mountain is dry sclerophyll forest.

Flora

The main vegetation types are dry rainforests, dry eucalypt forests and heathlands. A sub-alpine zone known as the Kaputar Plateau forms an elevated area above sea level. Here the main vegetation type is open eucalypt forest dominated by snow gum,

ribbon gum ''Eucalyptus viminalis'', commonly known as the manna gum, white gum or ribbon gum, is a species of small to very tall tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough bark near the base, lance-shaped to c ...

and mountain gum. Below this down to above sea level the most common trees include the silver-top stringybark and rough-barked mountain gum. Heath occurs in scattered patches where exposure to high winds and shallow soils inhibits the growth of larger trees.

Fauna

The mountain is home to a giant, fluorescent pink slug, which can grow up to in length. This pink species is found only on this single mountaintop. The peak is an isolated habitat island on which endemic invertebrates and plant species have existed for millions of years. According to a park ranger there are three species of cannibal snails on the mountain.

References

External links