Channel 9

Fun Facts

• The Snowy Mountains are overall the tallest range in all of Australia

• The king of these mountains is Australia's highest peak, Mt Kosciuszko, which measures 2,228m high - relatively low compared to the highest mountains in other countries, and a reflection of Australia's overall relatively flat country

• How do you pronounce Mt Kosciuszko? It is actually pronounced "ko-shoos-ko" as opposed to the common mispronunciation of "ko-zi-oss-ko"

• The Snowy Mountains, while a large system in themselves, are grouped together as part of the Great Dividing Range

• The top 5 tallest mountains in Australia are all contained within the Snowy Mountains group

• The Snowy Mountains are mainland Australia's only true "alpine" region, and are thus a hotspot for skiing and other winter sports and activities

• Heaviest months for snowfall in the Snowy Mountains are June, July and the first half of August

• The mountain was given its name in 1840 by Polish explorer Edmund Strzlecki after the name of a famous Polish historical figure

• The area has long been immortalised in Aussie folklore as the setting for famous poet A.B "Banjo" Patterson's epic, the Man from Snowy River

• A brief gold rush occurred in the mid-1800's, which caused a sudden increase in the Snowy Mountains' population

• Extremely popular snow fields and resorts such as Thredbo and Perisher are located within the Snowy Mountains region, and thus tourism is its main industry

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