Mount Owen (Tasmania)
| Mount Owen | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,146 m (3,760 ft) |
| Location | |
| Location | West Coast, Tasmania |
| Range | West Coast Range |
| Coordinates | 42°52′S 145°22′E / 42.867°S 145.367°E |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | unknown |
| Easiest route | from North West along track to TV tower |
Mount Owen is the mountain directly east of the town of Queenstown in Tasmania, Australia.
Like most of the mountains in the West Coast Range - it was named by Charles Gould after Richard Owen as the taller mountains were named after opponents or critics of Charles Darwin, the smaller after his supporters. the north western slopes clearly seen from Gormanston and the Linda Valley the 'Long Spur'.
Vegetation
Historically the tree line on Mount Owen was to a high level, however timber on the slopes was used by the local mining operations. In the early days of settlement fires started on the slopes that destroyed housing in Queenstown [1] and threatened the North Mount Lyell Railway [2]
By the early twentieth century the slopes of Mount Owen were denuded and had limited remnant vegetation.[3][4]
Features
A map in Geoffrey Blainey's 'The Peaks of Lyell' sourced from 1900-1910 calls the north west peak the 'North Spur', and The northern slopes, clearly visible from the Lyell Highway passing through the Linda Valley, show the extent of degradation due to fire, smelter fumes, and heavy rainfall.
It has small glacial lakes on its upper eastern slope, indicating the extent of Glaciation in the King River valley.
The western slopes loom over Queenstown, and in winter are regularly covered in snow.
The eastern wall to its north eastern peak that 'hangs over' the western shore of Lake Burbury, or in earlier times the North Mount Lyell Railway formation which passed beneath.
Access
It also has TV and communications towers on its north west peak (North Spur), which has been utilised a vehicle access track
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West Coast Range context
- North - Mount Lyell
- Mount Owen
- South - Mount Huxley
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East Mount Owen wall and Lake Burbury from Bradhsaws Bridge
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East Mount Owen from eastern shore of Lake Burbury
Notes
- ↑ "BUSH FIRES IN TASMANIA.". The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) (Qld.: National Library of Australia). 27 December 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ↑ "FIRES IN TASMANIA..". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 9 October 1914. p. 11. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ↑ "LYELL DISTRICT DESCRIBED.". Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Hobart, Tas. : 1890 - 1922) (Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia). 12 September 1917. p. 1. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ↑ "FLORA AND FAUNA.". The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) (Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia). 22 July 1933. p. 3. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
References
- Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). The Peaks of Lyell (6th ed. ed.). Hobart: St. David's Park Publishing. ISBN 0-7246-2265-9.
- Whitham, Charles (2003). Western Tasmania - A land of riches and beauty (Reprint 2003 ed.). Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.
- 2003 edition - Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.
- 1949 edition - Hobart: Davies Brothers. OCLC 48825404; ASIN B000FMPZ80
- 1924 edition - Queenstown: Mount Lyell Tourist Association. OCLC 35070001; ASIN B0008BM4XC