Mount Royal (New South Wales)

Basalt outcrop at Mount Royal at 1100 meters altitude

Mount Royal is located at the southern end of the Mount Royal Range in Barrington Tops region of eastern Australia. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

The lower part of the mountain is composed of sedimentary rocks. From a height of 1100 meters above sea a remnant of basalt, which was created by the outflow of the nearby Barrington Volcano covers him. Mount Royal is located partially in Mount -Royal National Park and Barrington Tops National Park. It was created in the late Paleocene.

Flora

The high-altitude rainforest grows on red brown earth without southern beech, although obviously present ideal conditions for them. Your place in the upper canopy occupy the Golden Sassafras ( Doryphora sassafras ). The high altitude and thin rainforest has hanging moss and he is often occupied by fog.

The mountain peak is covered by a thicket of low rain forest, consisting of Hill Water Gum ( Tristaniopis collina ). Other notable plants on the mountain are New England Blackbutt (Eucalyptus campanulata ), Chain Fruit ( Alyxia ruscifolia ), Prickly Ash ( Orites excelsus ), Grass Trees ( Xanthorrhoea glauca ) and Mountain Walnut ( Cryptocarya foveolata ) .. Another interesting feature of Mount Royal are the so-called grassy balds, which are surrounded by a temperate rainforest. It is believed that the fire that is produced during a lightning strike, the reason for their creation is.

The low-lying eastern slopes of Mount Royal support a well-developed sub-tropical rainforest. Significant species are the Australian Red Cedar, Citronella moorei, Rosewood ( Dysoxylum fraserianum ) and the Giant Stinging Tree.

Fauna

A remarkable bird and animal life is found in the mountain area. Wedge-tailed eagle, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Tiger otters are common. Some of the rare species are ferruginous - thicket bird, superb bird of paradise, long-tailed pigeon, Parma Wallaby, Rauschuppen bush viper, Stuttering Frog ( Mixophyes balbus ) Booroolong Frog ( Litoria booroolongensis ) and the Davies ' Tree Frog. The extinct believed Hastings River Mouse here was rediscovered in the 1980s.

Photos

Mount Royal - Eucalyptus Forest

Mount Royal, taken from Mount Cabrebald

Rainforest, mosses and ferns

Rainforest, basalt and ferns

Rainforest, basalt, ferns and mosses

Rain forest of gum Hill water on the mountain top

Summit