Question

Which is the highest peak in Australia?
A. Mount Townsend
B. Mawson Peak
C. Mount Kosciuszko
D. Mount Ginini

Answer 1

Hint: The Australian mainland is covered with a fleet of mountain ranges. The Snowy Mountains in New South Wales and the Australian Alps in Victoria contain most of the high peaks. These mountains form a part of the Great Dividing Range which acts as a divider between the central lowlands and the eastern highlands.

Complete answer:
Mount Kosciuszko is the highest mountain peak in Australia. It reaches a height of 7,310 feet (2,228 meters). It is located in the southeast part of the country. It is the high point of the Great Dividing Range that runs from Queensland to Victoria. Mount Kosciuszko is situated in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales which spreads across 2,498 square miles (i.e. 6,469 square km). It is situated only 390 Km southwest of Sydney and is a few miles from its border with Victoria. Mawson Peak, a volcano situated in Heard Island off the coast of Antarctica is taller than Mount Kosciuszko. Heard Island is owned politically by Australia, but geographically it is considered as sub-Antarctica. This is the reason why Mawson peak is not considered the highest peak in Australian mainland. Mount Townsend, is the second highest peak in Australia with an elevation of 2,209 metres above the sea level whereas Mount Ginini has an elevation of 1,762 metres above the sea level.
So, the correct answer is Option C.

Note: Mount Kosciuszko was named by Paul Strzelecki in 1840 who was a Polish explorer. He named the mountain peak in honour of a Polish patriot, Tadeusz Kościuszko. The melting snow from Mount Kosciuszko and other nearby Snowy Mountain peaks feed the rivers and reservoirs that are used for the Hydro-electric power generation.