10-4 Physical Features of the Australian Alps. 



the Kiewa sources on the west from the Cobungra on the 

 east. Rising two miles distant to almost a level with the latter 

 mountain, it again depresses fully 2000 feet, and again rises 

 towards the rim of the basaltic coating constituting the 

 Bogong High Plains. 



The highest elevation of these plains covers an area of 

 seven square miles, and in it the Cobungra on the south, the 

 Bundara on the east, and the Kiewa on the west, find their 

 sources. From the eastern slopes the watershed line pro- 

 ceeds by easy undulations to Mount Cope (a coned peak), 

 distant about 9 J miles from Mount Hotham. From thence 

 the watershed line traverses a rugged surfaced plateau in a 

 northerly direction towards Mount Bogong ; rising into 

 rounded heights devoid of shrub vegetation ; stretching into 

 moorland fiats; forming into rolling, rocky-crested ridges; 

 narrowing into sharp razor backs, where the source runnels 

 of the different streams interlace each other; and again 

 forming gentle grassy slopes, until at a point about five miles 

 south of Mount Bogong these highlands give place (at a much 

 lower level) to a narrow, serrated ridge, so rocky and sinuated 

 as to render the ascent of the mountain difficult even on 

 foot. The head waters of the Big River skirt this narrow 

 ridge, and wash the base of Mount Bogong (a granite moun- 

 tain), while the western affluents of Kiewa have sculptured 

 the steep western slopes of this important mountain, the 

 distance between it arid Mount Hotham being about twenty 

 miles. From this point the main watershed line between the 

 Kiewa and Mitta Mitta proceeds northerly, forming first a 

 series of rugged surfaced plateaux similar to those south of 

 the mountain, and then forms a distinct anticlinal ridge, 

 descending in elevation towards the Murray flats. South- 

 easterly a minor watershed line, forming a high range, 

 separating the Snowy Creek on the north from the Big- 

 River on the south, proceeds to Mount Wills (a bold peak, 

 5758 feet, having huge escarpments of rock on its eastern 

 lace); from thence two ridges radiate, encircling Wombat 

 Creek, the most northerly one forming a finely outlined 

 range, on which are situated Mounts Martin and Cooper, 

 important landmarks on the road between Omeo and the 

 lower Mitta Mitta. 



The general configuration of the minor watershed lines 

 dividing the western affluents is that of gradually sloping- 

 terraces and shelves, open grassy flats, with thickly timbered 

 rises, occasionally rocky (the timber taller than that on the 



