Everard Ranges

The Everard Ranges are ranges of low rounded granite hills, of Palaeocene origin between 20 and 60 million years ago, in Central Australia and located 80 km west of Mintabie. Rising into domes above a Cenozoic peneplain, which is here about 550 metres above sea level, they were named by Ernest Giles^[1] after a cattle station called "Everard Park", and consist of monoliths or bornhardts, rich in caves and overhangs with Aboriginal rock painting galleries. The ranges are similar to Ayers Rock and the Olgas.^[2]

"Arriving at the first hills of the Everard, I found they were all very peculiar, bare, red, granite mounds, being the most extraordinary ranges one could possibly imagine, if indeed any one could imagine such a scene. They have thousands of acres of bare rock, piled up into mountainous shapes and lay in isolated masses, forming something like a broken circle, all round a central and higher mass. They have valleys filled with scrubs between each section. Numerous rocky glens and gorges were seen, having various kinds of shrubs and low trees growing in the interstices of the rocks. Every thing and every place was parched, bare, and dry. We searched in many places for water without success." Ernest Giles - Australia Twice Traversed

Tourism in the area has been taken under the wing of the Mimili community, lying about 22 km north-east.^[3]

There is an extensive radiation of camaenid land snails in the region, with many species appearing endemic to the Everard Ranges, including Pleuroxia everardensis, P. carmeena, Sinumelon pumilio, Tatemelon everardensis, Semotrachia minuta, S. illbilleeana, Dirutrachia ponderi.^[4]

References

Coordinates: 27°06′46″S 132°31′45″E / 27.11278°S 132.52917°E / -27.11278; 132.52917