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 NSW.

Australian Alps bioregion location map

Australian Alps bioregion area

  • 1,232,981 hectares in total
  • 464,034 hectares in NSW

The Australian Alps bioregion contains Australia’s highest mountain, Mt Kosciuszko, and is the smallest bioregion in NSW. 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 the Australian Alps bioregion chapter of 'Bioregions of New South Wales' (2003) (PDF 3.7MB) for more information.