Nature guide

Snowy Mountains

The Snowy Mountains are located in the South-East corner of New South Wales. Take a look at the map below.

The Snowy

Mountains

Natural Features

The natural features of a place or the natural environment includes everything that occurs naturally. All living things, climate, weather and natural resources (such as water) are all part of the natural environment.

The Snowy Mountains are the highest mountain range in Australia. It also contains the highest mountain in Australia called Mount Kosciuszko. Mount Kosciuszko is 2,228 metres tall. The Snowy Mountains are part of the Australian Alps and the Great Diving Range.

The Australian Alps are a much larger mountain range that the Snowy Mountains are within. The Australian Alps runs from the very top of New South Wales all the way to the bottom where it meets Victoria.

The Snowy Mountains started to form over 500 million years ago. The mountains were formed completely by natural processes of folding and uplifting. The Snowy Mountains have a wide range of rock types and soil types.

Native Animals

The Snowy Mountains have a large amount of rare plants and animals that live through out them. As the Snowy Mountains have very difficult climates to live in, it takes very unique animals and plants to survive.

The Snowy Mountains are home to wombats, bats, black cockatoos and possums.Take a read below to find out more about some of these animals.

WOMBAT

A wombat is a large marsupial. A marsupial is a mammal that has a pouch to carry their offspring. The wombat is a native animal to Australia and can be found in coastal forests and mountain ranges throughout New South Wales.

The common wombat is the most often spotted wombat in New South Wales. The endangered hairy-nosed wombat is the only other wombat that can be seen in the Snowy Mountains. Until recently, the hairy-nosed wombat was thought to be extinct.

Spotting a wombat in any environment is hard. Wombats are nocturnal animals which means they sleep through the day and are awake at night time. They also are fantastic at burrowing deep under ground. Its a special sight to see a wombat.

BATS

The eastern bentwing-bat is the local bat for the Snowy Mountain area. This bat lives in families up to 150,000 bats. The eastern bentwing-bat is normally a chocolate to reddish-brown colour with slightly lighter stomach. They are very small at only 6cm tall with their wings stretching out to 30cm (the length of a ruler).

The eastern bentwing-bat can reach speeds up to 50km per hour when flying. They use their very clever eye sight and hearing ability to direct them and catch insects in the air.

The eastern bentwing-bat lives in caves across New South Wales and Queensland. They are also nocturnal animals like the wombat, this makes spotting the bat very difficult. If you look up to the sky at night time you might see a few flying around.

BLACK COCKATOO

Cockatoos are native birds to Australia. The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is one that is native to the Snowy Mountain area. This type of cockatoo is one of the larges species of parrots. They can grow up to 65cm in length.

The yellow-tailed black cockatoo feeds on the seeds of tall trees throughout the Snowy Mountains.

You can guess what colour they would be from the name! With dark black feathers and a bright yellow tail these cockatoos are very easy to spot flying through the sky.

POSSUM

The brushtail possum is one of the most common possums to be found across New South Wales. The brushtail possum is a nocturnal marsupial similar to the wombat and bentwing-bat.

The brushtail possum has very strong claws and tail to climb and hang on trees. Brushtail possums can reach up to 58cm long, which seems very big for a possum. The tail of a brush tail possum can be up 40cm long this means it takes up almost three quarters of the possums full length.

The brushtail possums are hard to spot due to being nocturnal animals but if you look carefully you might see one climb down from the trees and nibble on some fruit.

Native Plants

During the Summer months, the Snowy Mountains have colour flowers covering everything. In the Winter months there is a huge blanket of snow instead. Some plants have adapted to the cold conditions and are able to live and survive in the Snowy Mountain area.

Take a read below to find out more about some of these animals.

SNOW GUM TREES

A snow gum tree is an native tree found only in the Snowy Mountain area. It is a very slow growing and old living plant.

The Snow Gum is only a small tree that normally only grow to about 8 metres tall. It is said to be one of the toughest trees as it is able to survive the coldest conditions in the Snowy Mountains and still survive.

It is a white to light grey colour on the trunk with grey-green leaves. In Summer the tree is covered in white flowers and in Winter the tree is strong enough to hold the large amounts of snow that rest on the branches.

BILLY BUTTONS

During the Summer months the landscape of the Snowy Mountains is covered in wild flowers. One of these is named the Billy Button. They are a native plant that is spread throughout New South Wales but most commonly seen in the Snowy Mountains.

Billy buttons have a golden-yellow globe-shaped flower and can reach almost 50cm tall. The leaves of a billy button have been described as have a 'wooly' look and feel to them.

The wildflowers of the Snowy Mountain provide a beautiful covered area of white, yellow, purple and orange throughout the Summer months.

MOUNTAIN PLUM PINE

The mountain plum pine is a medium to large bush that is commonly found in the Snowy Mountains. It is the longest living plant to survive alpine (above tree level) climate.

Due to the cold and harsh environment, it is a very slow growing plant. The leaves of the mountain plum pine are about 1.5 cm long, very dark and thick. The dark leaves contrast against the bright red fruit that appears on it in the Summer.

One mountain plum pine was found near Mr Kosciuszko and geologists discovered it to be 170 years old.

PINK TRIGGER PLANTS

A pink trigger plant looks like a small grass-like clump with beautiful bright pink flowers on it. It is a strong plant but only comes out in the Spring and Summer months when it is a bit warmer.

This plant can tolerate many different conditions from hot sunshine to freezing snow storms. They do prefer lots of sunshine. If walking along any of the walking tracks throughout the Snowy Mountain region you will definitely spot some pink and purple bushes. These are the pink trigger plant.

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Snowy Mountains

Nature Guide

The Snowy Mountains are located in the South-East corner of New South Wales. Take a look at the map below.

The Snowy

Mountains

Natural Features

The natural features of a place or the natural environment includes everything that occurs naturally. All living things, climate, weather and natural resources (such as water) are all part of the natural environment.

The Snowy Mountains are the highest mountain range in Australia. It also contains the highest mountain in Australia called Mount Kosciuszko. Mount Kosciuszko is 2,228 metres tall. The Snowy Mountains are part of the Australian Alps and the Great Diving Range.

The Australian Alps are a much larger mountain range that the Snowy Mountains are within. The Australian Alps runs from the very top of New South Wales all the way to the bottom where it meets Victoria.

​

The Snowy Mountains started to form over 500 million years ago. The mountains were formed completely by natural processes of folding and uplifting. The Snowy Mountains have a wide range of rock types and soil types.

​

Native Animals

The Snowy Mountains have a large amount of rare plants and animals that live through out them. As the Snowy Mountains have very difficult climates to live in, it takes very unique animals and plants to survive.

​

The Snowy Mountains are home to wombats, bats, black cockatoos and possums.Take a read below to find out more about some of these animals.

​

WOMBAT

A wombat is a large marsupial. A marsupial is a mammal that has a pouch to carry their offspring. The wombat is a native animal to Australia and can be found in coastal forests and mountain ranges throughout New South Wales.

​

The common wombat is the most often spotted wombat in New South Wales. The endangered hairy-nosed wombat is the only other wombat that can be seen in the Snowy Mountains. Until recently, the hairy-nosed wombat was thought to be extinct.

​

Spotting a wombat in any environment is hard. Wombats are nocturnal animals which means they sleep through the day and are awake at night time. They also are fantastic at burrowing deep under ground. Its a special sight to see a wombat.

BATS

The eastern bentwing-bat can reach speeds up to 50km per hour when flying. They use their very clever eye sight and hearing ability to direct them and catch insects in the air.

​

The eastern bentwing-bat lives in caves across New South Wales and Queensland. They are also nocturnal animals like the wombat, this makes spotting the bat very difficult. If you look up to the sky at night time you might see a few flying around.

BLACK COCKATOO

Cockatoos are native birds to Australia. The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is one that is native to the Snowy Mountain area. This type of cockatoo is one of the larges species of parrots. They can grow up to 65cm in length.

​

The yellow-tailed black cockatoo feeds on the seeds of tall trees throughout the Snowy Mountains.

​

You can guess what colour they would be from the name! With dark black feathers and a bright yellow tail these cockatoos are very easy to spot flying through the sky.

​

POSSUM

The brushtail possum is one of the most common possums to be found across New South Wales. The brushtail possum is a nocturnal marsupial similar to the wombat and bentwing-bat.

​

The brushtail possum has very strong claws and tail to climb and hang on trees. Brushtail possums can reach up to 58cm long, which seems very big for a possum. The tail of a brush tail possum can be up 40cm long this means it takes up almost three quarters of the possums full length.

​

The brushtail possums are hard to spot due to being nocturnal animals but if you look carefully you might see one climb down from the trees and nibble on some fruit.

​

​

​

Native Plants

During the Summer months, the Snowy Mountains have colour flowers covering everything. In the Winter months there is a huge blanket of snow instead. Some plants have adapted to the cold conditions and are able to live and survive in the Snowy Mountain area.

​

Take a read below to find out more about some of these animals.

​

​

SNOW GUM TREES

A snow gum tree is an native tree found only in the Snowy Mountain area. It is a very slow growing and old living plant.

​

The Snow Gum is only a small tree that normally only grow to about 8 metres tall. It is said to be one of the toughest trees as it is able to survive the coldest conditions in the Snowy Mountains and still survive.

​

It is a white to light grey colour on the trunk with grey-green leaves. In Summer the tree is covered in white flowers and in Winter the tree is strong enough to hold the large amounts of snow that rest on the branches.

​

BILLY BUTTONS

During the Summer months the landscape of the Snowy Mountains is covered in wild flowers. One of these is named the Billy Button. They are a native plant that is spread throughout New South Wales but most commonly seen in the Snowy Mountains.

​

Billy buttons have a golden-yellow globe-shaped flower and can reach almost 50cm tall. The leaves of a billy button have been described as have a 'wooly' look and feel to them.

​

The wildflowers of the Snowy Mountain provide a beautiful covered area of white, yellow, purple and orange throughout the Summer months.

​

MOUNTAIN PLUM PINE

The mountain plum pine is a medium to large bush that is commonly found in the Snowy Mountains. It is the longest living plant to survive alpine (above tree level) climate.

​

Due to the cold and harsh environment, it is a very slow growing plant. The leaves of the mountain plum pine are about 1.5 cm long, very dark and thick. The dark leaves contrast against the bright red fruit that appears on it in the Summer.

​

One mountain plum pine was found near Mr Kosciuszko and geologists discovered it to be 170 years old.

​

​

PINK TRIGGER PLANTS

A pink trigger plant looks like a small grass-like clump with beautiful bright pink flowers on it. It is a strong plant but only comes out in the Spring and Summer months when it is a bit warmer.

​

This plant can tolerate many different conditions from hot sunshine to freezing snow storms. They do prefer lots of sunshine. If walking along any of the walking tracks throughout the Snowy Mountain region you will definitely spot some pink and purple bushes. These are the pink trigger plant.

​

​

For more fun facts and photos