| Mount Alexander | |
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View from near Harcourt |
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| Elevation | 744 metres (2,441 ft) AHD |
| Prominence | 350 m (1,148 ft) |
| Location | |
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Mount Alexander
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| Climbing | |
| First ascent | Thomas Mitchell (first European) |
Mount Alexander is a mountain that is located approximately 125 km north-west of Melbourne, near the small town of Harcourt. It rises 350 metres above the surrounding area[1] to a level of 744 metres above sea level.[2] Being a prominent local landmark, the mountain has its name associated with the surrounding district once known as the Mount Alexander goldfields, and presently defined as the Shire of Mount Alexander, centred on Castlemaine. Most of the mountain is included within the boundaries of the Mount Alexander Regional Park managed by Parks Victoria.
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The mountain has a number of transmission sites including:
The mountain, known as Lanjanuc to the Jaara Jaara people, was the location of a sacred ceremonial ground and used as an outlook.[1]
The first European to climb the peak was Major Thomas Mitchell on 28 September 1836 during his journey of exploration through Australia Felix. He named it Mount Byng, after Lord Byng, a Field Marshal during the Peninsular War, but soon changed it to honour Alexander the Great, emperor of ancient Greece.