Mount Baw Baw

Mount Baw Baw
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height	1567  m
location	Victoria , Australia
Mountains	Baw-Baw Plateau
Coordinates	37 ° 50 ′ 17 "  S , 146 ° 16 ′ 30"  E Coordinates: 37 ° 50 ′ 17 "  S , 146 ° 16 ′ 30"  E
rock	Granodiorite - Pluton
Age of the rock	late Devonian
View from Mount Baw Baw south into Gippsland

The Mount Baw Baw is a mountain in the Australian state of Victoria . The Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort is an unincorporated community and the Baw Baw Shire surrounded.

location

Mount Baw Baw is located about 120 km east of Melbourne and about 50 km north of the Latrobe Valley . It is one of several peaks on the Baw-Baw Plateau , a long plateau that slopes down to the northeast. Other peaks there are Mount Whitelaw , Mount Saint Phillack , Mount Mueller , Mount Tyers , Mount Kernot , Mount Saint Gwinear , Talbot Peak and Mount Erica . The plateau is separated from the Great Dividing Range to the south by the Thomson River , the Aberfeldy River, and other tributaries of the Latrobe River , such as the Tanjil River and the Tyers River .

geology

The Baw-Baw massif is made of granodiorite - pluton from the late Devonian . There are only relatively small differences in altitude on the plateau.

climate

The climate of the plateau itself is subalpine; the annual precipitation is 1900 mm. From June to September it is covered with snow.

flora

The lower slopes of the plateau are covered with montane eucalyptus forest and high forest and in the stream valleys you can find rainforest of the cool-temperate zone with myrtle beeches ( Nothufagus cunninghamii ). Snow eucalyptus can be found above 1200 m, and from 1300 m it slowly changes into subalpine meadows and shrubland . A large part of this subalpine zone belongs to the 133 km² Baw-Baw National Park . The technical facilities of the Baw Baw Village ski area are outside the national park.

fauna

The endangered species Baw-Baw-Frog can also be found on Mount Baw Baw .

Development

discovery

Presumably, Baron Ferdinand von Mueller was the first European to climb Mount Baw Baw in 1860 and named Christmas Creek on one of his collecting expeditions. On this trip he discovered the Baw-Baw berry ( Wittsteinia vacciniacea ).

Ski Area

There is a small ski area of ​​the same name on the mountain. Approx. 30 hectares of slopes - mainly for beginners and of medium difficulty - are available. There are six slopes and two chair lifts; the highest almost reaches the top of Mount Baw Baw. Baw Baw Village is at the lower end of the ski area. In addition to the downhill runs, there are also extensive cross-country trails to other parts of the plateau. As with most mid-altitude ski resorts in Australia, snow quality varies from year to year. Safe snow conditions can usually be found from July to the end of September.

Road cycling

The access road to the ski area, the Mount Baw Baw Tourist Road, is considered to be the most difficult road in Australia that can still be used with road bikes. The final ascent overcomes a height difference of 718 m over a length of 6.2 km, which corresponds to an average gradient of 11.5%; the maximum gradient is 20.3%. The climb is not that long, but it is significantly steeper than any Hors Catégorie climb on the Tour de France . The Mount Baw Baw Classic - first held in 2001 - is an annual Warragul Cycling Club cycling race that ends in Baw Baw Village.

Mountain biking

There is a specially designed mountain bike route on the southwest side of the mountain that leads towards the sea. Various Victoria State downhill competitions and several other races have been held on this course.

The journey time is approx. 3 ½ minutes and the route offers a good mix of arched dirt roads, scree stretches, fire breaks and technical sections.

Extensive public transport is available on Mount Baw Baw Tourist Road and the road is very mountain bike friendly.

See also

• List of mountains in Victoria
• List of mountains and elevations in Australia

Web links

• Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Australian ski tow directory , accessed on February 11, 2011
2. ↑ Mount Baw Baw Classic . Warragul Cycling Club
3. ^ Warragul Cycling Club