Mount Barrington

Mount Barrington
Barrington Volcano

Snow Gums near the summit of Mount Barrington summit
Highest point
Elevation 1,555 m (5,102 ft)
Coordinates 32°03′S 151°24′E / 32.050°S 151.400°E / -32.050; 151.400Coordinates: 32°03′S 151°24′E / 32.050°S 151.400°E / -32.050; 151.400[1]
Geography
Mount Barrington

Location in New South Wales

Location Barrington Tops National Park,
New South Wales, Australia
Parent range Mount Royal Range
Geology
Age of rock Eocene[2]
Mountain type Shield volcano

Mount Barrington,[1] a mountain that is part of the Mount Royal Range, is located on the Barrington Tops plateau in the Gloucester Shire within New South Wales, Australia and has an elevation of 1,555 metres (5,102 ft) above sea level.

Now the remnants of a volcano, Mount Barrington, formerly the Barrington Volcano, erupted near its present peak between 44 and 54 million years ago. The eruption caused a 700-cubic-kilometre (170 cu mi) basalt flow, which covered much of the Barrington Tops plateau. The lava was up to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) thick.

The extensive rainforests in the area grow on much of the resultant red/brown soils.[2][3] Gemstones such as zircon, sapphire and ruby were formed from the volcano.[4] Nearby Careys Peak is considered a vent in this extinct shield volcano. The surrounding area is covered by sub alpine Snow Gum woodland, with rainforest on the escarpment edge and in fire free gullies.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Mount Barrington". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  2. 1 2 Johnson, R Wally. Intraplate Volcanism in Eastern Australia & New Zealand, page 123. Google Books. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  3. Adam, Paul (1987). New South Wales Rainforests: The Nomination for the World Heritage List. p. 78. ISBN 0-7305-2075-7.
  4. Sutherland, F. L.; Fanning, C. M. (2001). "Gem‐bearing basaltic volcanism. Barrington, New South Wales: Cenozoic evolution, based on basalt K–Ar ages and zircon fission track and U–Pb isotope dating". Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 48 (2): 221–237. doi:10.1046/j.1440-0952.2001.00851.x. Retrieved 2 June 2012.


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