Mount Baw Baw
BWf1
View from Mount Baw Baw south into Gippslandbdep2
The Mount Baw Baw is a mountain in the Australian state of Victoria. The Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort is an unincorporated community and is surrounded by the Baw Baw Shire.
Location
The Mount Baw Baw is located about 120 kilometers east of Melbourne and 50 km north of the Latrobe Valley. He is one of several summits on the Baw Baw Plateau, a long plateau that slopes to the northeast. Other peaks are there, the Mount Whitelaw, Mount Saint Phillack ( highest elevation ), Mount Mueller, Mount Tyers, Mount Kernot, Mount Saint Gwinear, Talbot Peak and Mount Erica. The plateau is due to the Thomson River, separated Aberfeldy River and other tributaries of the Latrobe River as the Tanjil River and the Tyers River in the south of the Great Dividing Range.
Geology
The Baw Baw massif consists of granodiorite pluton from the late Devonian. On the plateau there are only relatively small differences in height; The highest point is Mount Saint Phillack with 1567 m.
Climate
The climate of the plateau itself is subalpine; the annual rainfall is 1900 mm. From June to September it is snowy.
Flora
The lower slopes of the plateau are covered with montane Eucalyptus forest and high forest and stream valleys in the rain forest you will find the cool temperate zone with Myrthenbuchen ( Nothufagus cunninghamii ). Over 1200 meters there is snow eucalyptus, which slowly turns into mats and subalpine shrubland from 1300 m. Much of this subalpine zone is part of the 133 km ² large Baw Baw National Park. The ski resort of Baw Baw Village, with its equipment outside the National Park.
Fauna
At Mount Baw Baw you also find the highly endangered Baw Baw frog species.
Development
Discovery
Presumably, Baron Ferdinand von Mueller rose in 1860 as the first European to Mount Baw Baw and named the Christmas Creek on one of his expeditions collectors. On this journey he discovered the Baw Baw - berry ( Wittsteinia vacciniacea ).
Ski resort
On the hill there is a small ski resort of the same name. Approx. 30 hectares of ski slopes - especially for beginners and intermediate-level - are available. There are six runs and two chair lifts; the highest reaches almost the top of Mount Baw Baw. Baw Baw Village is located at the bottom of the ski area. In addition to the downhill slopes, there are also extensive cross-country trails to other parts of the plateau. As with most located at medium altitude ski areas of Australia also varied the snow quality from year to year. Secure snow conditions are to be found usually from July to end of September.
Road cycling
The access road to the ski area, the Mount Baw Baw Tourist Road is considered to be the most difficult yet is accessible to road bikes road in Australia. The final climb to 6.2 km in length overcomes a difference in altitude of 718 m, which corresponds to an average gradient of 11.5%; the maximum gradient is 20.3%. The climb is not as long, but much steeper than any Hors Category climb of the Tour de France. The Mount Baw Baw Classic - first held in 2001 - is an annual bicycle race of the Warragul Cycling Club, which ends in Baw Baw Village.
Mountain -biking
There is a specifically designed mountain bike route on the southwest side of the mountain that leads to the sea. In this course, various downhill contests the State of Victoria and also some other races have been held.
The journey takes about 3 ½ minutes and the route offers a good mix of curved roads, gravel tracks, firebreaks and technical sections.
On the Mount Baw Baw Tourist Road of extensive public transport is available and the road is very mountain-bike - friendly.