Mount Stirling
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Mount Stirling is a
mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...
in the
Victorian Alps The Victorian Alps, also known locally as the High Country, is a large mountain system in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. Occupying the majority of eastern Victoria, it is the southwestern half of the Australian Alps (the other ...
of the
Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills, that runs rough ...
, located in the
Hume Hume most commonly refers to: * David Hume (1711–1776), Scottish philosopher Hume may also refer to: People * Hume (surname) * Hume (given name) * James Hume Nisbet (1849–1923), Scottish-born novelist and artist In fiction * Hume, ...
region of
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
. The mountain has 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''. Th ...
. Mount Stirling is also an abbreviation of the Mount Stirling Alpine Resort, a cross-country and
backcountry In the United States, a backcountry or backwater is a geographical area that is remote, undeveloped, isolated, or difficult to access. Terminology Backcountry and wilderness within United States national parks The National Park Service (NPS) ...
ski resort A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area – a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In Nort ...
located on the slopes of the mountain and situated approximately from
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
. The Mount Stirling ski resort is a popular location for beginner backcountry skiers and
snowboarder Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic ...
s due to its distance from Melbourne and proximity to the Mount Buller Alpine Resort. As at the 2011 census, the area had a population of 36. The Mount Stirling Alpine Resort is contained within an
unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either hav ...
under the direct administration of the government of Victoria, and is surrounded by the
Shire of Mansfield The Mansfield Shire is a local government area in the Hume region of Victoria, Australia, located in the north-east part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018, had a population of 8,979. It includes the towns of Mansfield, Mai ...
. Mount Stirling was named in honour of James Stirling, a
surveyor Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ...
and later, the Victorian Government Geologist.


Location and features

The mountain and ski resort are located at the head of the
Delatite River The Delatite River, an inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the lower South Eastern Highlands bioregion and Northern Country/North Central regions of the Australian state of ...
, which flows westwards. It is surrounded by the Stirling Circuit Road, which provides access to mountains further into the Victorian Alps. In winter the road is closed at Telephone Box Junction, from which it is generally possible to ski to reach the summit (depending on conditions it is sometimes necessary to walk the lower section). The mountain has fantastic views across to nearby Mount Buller as well as the high range that runs from
Mount Cobbler Mount Cobbler is a mountain located in the Alpine National Park to the east of Mansfield, Victoria, Mansfield in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. Its summit rises to above sea level. The peak and surrounding Cobbler land system are composed o ...
through Mount Speculation and the Cross cut Saw and
Mount Howitt Mount Howitt, also known as ''Toot-buck-nulluck'' in the Gunai language, is a mountain in Victoria, Australia, named for Alfred William Howitt. Located in the Wonangatta Moroka Unit of the Alpine National Park approximately 170 km north-e ...
. From there the range swings westwards, finishing in The Bluff, an impressive tilted plateau that has large clifflines on its northern side. The lower reaches of the mountain are dominated by Alpine Ash forests, which merge into Snowgum Woodlands above approximately . There is a small part of the summit area which sits above treeline.


Huts

There are a number of huts in the area of Mount Stirling providing emergency refuge to visitors: * Bluff Spur Hut is a shelter hut near the summit erected as a memorial to a pair of skiers who died of exposure on the mountain. * Kingsaddle Shelter, an open shelter amidst towering Alpine Ash. * Howqua Gap Hut was moved around Mount Stirling for loggers to shelter in and was left at the bottom of the Howqua Gap trail. * Geelong Grammar School Hut on the other side of the summit from Bluff Spur Hut is owned by
Geelong Grammar School , motto_translation = 1 Corinthians 1:30: "For us, Christ was made wisdom"( 1 Corinthians 1:30: Christ, who has been made for us in wisdom) , city = Corio, Victoria , country = Australia , coordinates = , ...
and is used during cross country skiing by students from the Timbertop campus. * Craig's Hut in the Clear Hills, built as a set for the film, ''
The Man from Snowy River The Man from Snowy River may refer to: * "The Man from Snowy River" (poem), an 1890 Australian poem by Banjo Paterson. * '' The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses'' an 1895 poetry collection by Banjo Paterson (including the above) * ''The Man ...
'', was destroyed on 11 December 2006 by the Eastern Victoria Great Divide bushfires; and has since been rebuilt. * Mount No 3 Refuge Hut, rebuilt in 2007 * Bus Hut on the Mount Number 3 Road


Seasonal activities

In winter the area is a patrolled cross country and back country ski resort. Maps of ski trails are available at the entry gate. In summer the area is popular with four wheel drivers and bush walkers. The trail from the Circuit Road to the summit takes less than two hours to walk and is popular for day and over night trips. Also, when it is not snowing or in danger of bushfires, the area is used by numerous educational groups.


See also

*
Alpine National Park The Alpine National Park is a national park located in the Central Highlands and Alpine regions of Victoria, Australia. The national park is located northeast of Melbourne. It is the largest National Park in Victoria, and covers much of the hig ...
* List of mountains in Victoria * Skiing in Victoria


References


External links


Mount Stirling official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stirling, Mount Ski areas and resorts in Victoria (Australia) Mountains of Victoria (Australia) Victorian Alps Towns in Victoria (Australia) Unincorporated areas of Victoria (Australia)