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Environment and Heritage
Environment and Heritage

Australian Alps bioregion

The Australian Alps bioregion is in the highest section of the Great Dividing Range and is the only true alpine environment in New South Wales.

 

About the bioregion

The Australian Alps bioregion contains Australia’s highest mountain, Mt Kosciuszko, and is the smallest bioregion in New South Wales. It has a montane climate, with no dry season and a mild summer.

Part of the Australian Alps bioregion lies in the Murray-Darling Basin, encompassing the headwaters of the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Snowy rivers and traversed by the Tumut and Yarrangobilly rivers.

The Australian Alps bioregion receives the highest proportion of conservation-oriented management of any of the NSW bioregions. Kosciuszko National Park occupies over 87% of the bioregion.

Read Chapter 17, The Australian Alps Bioregion, in Bioregions of New South Wales: Their biodiversity, conservation and history for more information.

Bioregion area

  • 1,232,981 hectares in total
  • 464,034 hectares in New South Wales.
Map of New South Wales, Australia, highlighting the Australian Alps bioregion

Map showing the Australian Alps bioregion

Parks, reserves and conservation areas

This bioregion includes Kosciuszko National Park.

  • Boulder fields, Kosciuszko National Park
    Boulder fields, Kosciuszko National Park
    Boulder fields, Kosciuszko National Park
    Image Credit: Mel Schroder/DPE
  • Blue Lake, Kosciuszko National Park
    Blue Lake, Kosciuszko National Park
    Blue Lake, Kosciuszko National Park
    Image Credit: Barry Collier
  • Farmland at sunset along the Alpine Way, Kosciuszko National Park
    Farmland at sunset along the Alpine Way, Kosciuszko National Park
    Farmland at sunset along the Alpine Way, Kosciuszko National Park
    Image Credit: Murray Vanderveer
  • Alpine vegetation, Kosciuszko Summit, Kosciuszko National Park
    Alpine vegetation, Kosciuszko Summit, Kosciuszko National Park
    Image Credit: John Spencer/DPE
  • Interior view of Jillabenan Cave in Kosciuszko National Park, showcasing delicate formations such as soda straw stalactites, flowstone shawls, cave coral, and helictites. The cave is known for its intricate and fragile structures.
    Jillabenan Cave, Yarrangobilly Caves, Kosciuszko National Park
    Jillabenan Cave, Yarrangobilly Caves, Kosciuszko National Park
    Image Credit: Elinor Sheargold/DPE
  • Mountain pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus)
  • A scenic view of an alpine bog at Kosciuszko Summit, showcasing patches of melting snow surrounded by lush, wetland vegetation.
    Alpine bog and snow melt, Kosciuszko Summit, Kosciuszko National Park
    Alpine bog and snow melt, Kosciuszko Summit, Kosciuszko National Park
    Image Credit: John Spencer/DPE
  • A picturesque early morning at Bullocks Hill bog, featuring a landscape with patches of frost and ice on the water, alongside areas of melted snow, all under a clear blue sky with flowing clouds, showcasing the diverse beauty of Kosciuszko National Park.
    Early morning frost at Bullocks Hill bog and plain
    Early morning frost at Bullocks Hill bog and plain
    Image Credit: Jo Caldwell/DPE

More information