| Kosciuszko National Park | |
|---|---|
 A view of theMain Range and theSnowy River, near Charlotte's Pass | |
  Kosciuszko National Park | |
| Location | New South Wales |
| Nearest city | Cabramurra |
| Coordinates | 36°04′20″S148°20′55″E / 36.07222°S 148.34861°E /-36.07222; 148.34861 |
| Area | 6,900 km2 (2,700 sq mi) |
| Established | 1 October 1967 (1967-10-01) |
| Visitors | 3279608[1] (in 2018) |
| Governing body | NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service |
| Website | Official website |
TheKosciuszko National Park (/ˌkɒziˈʌskoʊ/KOZ-ee-USK-oh)[2] is a 6,900-square-kilometre (2,700 sq mi)national park and contains mainlandAustralia's highest peak,Mount Kosciuszko, for which it is named, andCabramurra, the highest town in Australia. Its borders contain a mix of rugged mountains and wilderness, characterised by analpine climate, which makes it popular with recreationalskiers andbushwalkers.
The park is located in the southeastern corner ofNew South Wales, 354 km (220 mi) southwest ofSydney, and is contiguous with theAlpine National Park inVictoria to the south, and theNamadgi National Park in theAustralian Capital Territory to the northeast. The larger towns ofCooma,Tumut andJindabyne lie just outside and service the park.
The waters of theSnowy River, theMurray River, theMurrumbidgee River, and theGungarlin River all rise in this park.
Other notable peaks in the park includeGungartan,Mount Jagungal,Bimberi Peak andMount Townsend.
On 7 November 2008, the park was added to theAustralian National Heritage List as one of eleven areas constituting theAustralian Alps National Parks and Reserves.[3]
Multiple Aboriginal groups in the southern part of NSW gathered in theAustralian Alps Bioregion in the summer on an annual pilgrimage to theBogong andSnowy Mountains. Here, the men participated in a feast ofbogong moths (Agrotis infusa) that were found on the rocky outcrops of the mountains.[4]
The area was explored by Europeans in 1835, and in 1840,Edmund Strzelecki ascendedMount Kosciuszko and renamed it for Polish patriot and military leaderTadeusz Kościuszko. High-country stockmen followed, using the Snowy Mountains for grazing during the summer months.Banjo Paterson's poemThe Man From Snowy River recalls this era. The cattle graziers have left a legacy of mountain huts scattered across the area.[5] Today these huts are maintained by the National Parks and Wildlife Service or volunteer organisations like theKosciuszko Huts Association.[6] In the 19th century,gold was mined on the high plains nearKiandra.[7] At its height, this community had a population of about 4,000 people, and ran 14 hotels. It was here thatSkiing in Australia commenced around 1861. Since the last resident left in 1974, Kiandra has become a ghost town of ruins and abandoned diggings.[8] In the 20th century, the focus ofSkiing in New South Wales shifted south closer to the Kosciuszko Main Range.
The Kosciuszko National Park came into existence as the National Chase Snowy Mountains on 5 December 1906. In April 1944, following the passage of the Kosciusko State Park Act, the Kosciusko State Park was proclaimed.[7][9][10] It then became the Kosciuszko National Park in 1967.[11] The name was misspelt as Kosciusko until 1997.[7]
The construction of theSnowy Mountains Scheme between 1949 and 1974 saw much of the area explored, brought improvements to roads and resulted in the construction of several dams and tunnels across the park in one of the world's largest engineering achievements.
In December 2024, bushwalker Hadi Nazar went missing in the park. He was lost for 14 days, surviving on berries, water from creeks and two muesli bars found in a hut.[12]
Kosciuszko National Park has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
The higher regions of the park experience an alpine climate which is unusual on mainland Australia. However, only the peaks of the main range are subject to consistent heavy winter snow. The climate station atCharlotte Pass recordedAustralia's lowest temperature of −23 °C (−9 °F) on 28 June 1994.[14]
During thelast ice age, which peaked about 20,000 years ago in thePleistoceneepoch, the highest peaks of the main range near Mount Kosciuszko experienced a climate which favoured the formation ofglaciers, evidence of which can still be seen today.Cirquesmoraines,tarn lakes,roche moutonnées and other glacial features can all be seen in the area.Lake Cootapatamba, which was formed by an ice spilling from Mount Kosciuszko's southern flank, is the highest lake on the Australian mainland. Lake Albina, Club Lake,Blue Lake, and Hedley Tarn also have glacial origins.[15]
There is some disagreement as to exactly how widespread Pleistocene glaciation was on the main range, and little or no evidence from earlier glacial periods exists. The "David Moraine", a one-kilometre-long ridge running across Spencers Creek valley seems to indicate a larger glacier existed in this area at some time, however the glacial origin of this feature is disputed.[16]
There is evidence ofperiglacial activity in the area.Solifluction appears to have created terraces on the northwest flank of Mount Northcote.Frost heave is also a significant agent ofsoil erosion in the Kosciuszko Area.
The park has been experiencing a decline in snow depth since the 1950s.[17]
The Kosciuszko National Park covers a variety of climatic regions which support several distinctecosystems.
That which is most closely identified with the park, the alpine area above thetree line, is one of the most fragile and covers the smallest area. This area is a patchwork of alpineheaths,herbfields,feldmarks,bogs andfens. The windsweptfeldmarkecotope is endemic to the alpine region, and covers a mere 300,000 m2 (3,200,000 sq ft). It is most vulnerable to the wandering footsteps of unmindful tourists.
Nine separatewilderness zones have been identified in the latest management scheme.[18] These include the Indi, Byadbo, Pilot, Jagungal, Bogong Peaks, Goobarragandra, Western Falls, Bramina and Bimberi wilderness areas.
Many rare or threatened plant and animal species occur within the boundaries of the park.
The park is home to one of Australia's most threatened species: thecorroboree frog. The endangeredmountain pygmy possum and the more commondusky antechinus are located in the high country of the park. In June 2025 aLeadbeater's possum, previously thought to be extinct in New South Wales, was recorded on a camera near theYarrangobilly Caves that was part of a survey of the critically endangeredsmoky mouse.[19] An October 2025 newspaper article reported that along-footed potoroo was observed for the first time in the park.[20]
There are also significant populations offeral animals in the park, includingbrumbies or wild horses. Park authorities have coordinated theirculling and relocation,[21] leading to public controversy over how to reduce their numbers. The actual number of horses within the park is also difficult to ascertain with estimates ranging from 1,700 in 2008 increasing by 300 each year,[22] 7,679 in 2009,[23] and from 2,500 to 14,000 in 2013–2014.[24][25][26] In 2016 the population was estimated to be 6,000.[27] By 2019, this number was found to have more than doubled to 25,000.[28] A 2020 survey placed the number at 14,380.[29] Since the resumption of aerial shooting in Kosciuszko National Park, a total of 5,539 feral horses have been culled. In addition, 427 horses have been removed using other methods such astrapping,rehoming, and ground shooting. According to the latest population surveys conducted in October 2023, it is estimated that there are still approximately 17,000 feral horses in the park.[30]
In June 2021, Federal environment ministerSussan Ley wrote to the NSW environment ministerMatt Kean saying she planned to introduce regulation under federal environmental laws to protect the park, because the state was failing in its obligation to do so.[31] A management plan for the wild horses was released on 24 November 2021.[29] By June 2027 numbers are planned to be culled down to 3,000.[29]
Much of the park is dominated by alpine woodlands, characterised by thesnow gum.Montane and wetsclerophyll forest also occur across the ranges, supporting large stands ofalpine ash andmountain gum. In the southernByadbo wilderness area, dry sclerophyll andwattle forests predominate. Amongst the many different native trees in the park, the largeChinese elm has become naturalised.
Much of the tree cover in the lower sections of the park was seriously burned inbushfires in 2003. Fires are a natural feature of the park ecosystem, but it will take some time for the region to return to its pre 2003 condition.
The mountains are typically covered by metre-deep snow for up to four months of the year.[7] Theski resorts ofThredbo,Selwyn snowfields,Perisher andCharlotte Pass lie within the park. The electricrack railway, called theSkitube Alpine Railway, connects theAlpine Way to thePerisher Valley.
The 655 kilometreAustralian Alps Walking Track crosses almost the length of the park. Many thousands of people make the walk to Mount Kosciuszko during the summer. It is 9 kilometres from Charlotte Pass, or 6 kilometres from the Thredbo chairlift. Camping is permitted anywhere in the park except within sight of a road or near a watercourse[citation needed]. The lighting of fires is severely restricted in higher altitudes.[7]
Mountain biking is allowed on all management trails outside of wilderness areas, and on a small number within them: Grey Mare Trail, Round Mountain Trail, Valentine Trail, Hellhole Creek Trail, Cascade Trail, Ingegoodbee Trail and Nine Mile Trail.[32]
Canoeing and swimming in the rivers and lakes are popular in the warmer weather.[7] The rivers and dams are stocked withtrout from nearby hatcheries. Seasonal trout fishing is allowed after a permit is obtained. Other attractions include thewhitewater rafting,trail riding,Yarrangobilly Caves, Cooleman Caves,Tin Mine Falls, Australia's highest waterfall andValentine Falls. Guided tours are conducted through several caves in thekarst region ofYarrangobilly. Other tours are also available.
Sawpit Creek has a major campground with facilities for caravans and cabins available for rent.[7]
The Snowy River originates in the park and flows south to Victoria. Many tunnels, dams, generators and other parts of theSnowy Mountains Schemehydro-electric system are located within the park, including theTantangara Reservoir andSnowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Power Station.[33]
The Snowy Scheme, constructed between 1949 and 1974, is ahydroelectricity andirrigation complex consisting of sixteen major dams; seven power stations; a pumping station; and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts. The chief engineer was SirWilliam Hudson. It is the largest engineering project undertaken in Australia.[34][35][36] An 8 km powerline is planned through the area.[37]
Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) underCC BY 4.0licence.
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Media related toKosciuszko National Park at Wikimedia Commons
Kosciuszko National Park travel guide from Wikivoyage| Townships and Villages | |
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| Localities and rural places | |
| National parks and other natural features | |
| Rivers and other watercourses | |
| Dams and/or associated reservoirs | |
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Main Article:Local government areas of New South Wales | |
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