Petermann Ranges (Australia)
This article describes the mountain range in Australia. For the mountain range of the same name in Antarctica, see Petermannketten.
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The Petermann Ranges (German: Petermann-Gebirge) in Australia rise to 1158 m above sea level and extend about 320 km from the east in central Western Australia to the southeast corner of the Northern Territory. In the east of this mountainous country lies the Uluṟu-Kata-Tjuṯa National Park with the Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa.
The range was discovered in 1874 by Ernest Giles, who named it after the German geographer and cartographer August Petermann.
The Petermann Mountains are located in the Amadeus Basin, a sedimentary basin. This basin was formed about 900 million years ago, whereupon sediments were deposited over hundreds of millions of years and rock layers were also formed. This process ended after about 300 million years and a shallow lake was formed over the sediments. Some of the sediments were also transported by the lake, the lake dried out and salt crusts formed. This was followed by a cold period. The older sediments of the Amadeus Basin were folded and bent; land was pushed up and mountains formed, this process was called orogenesis (mountain building) of the Petermann Mountains by geologists.
The mountain ranges consist of granite, sandstone and quartzite and are divided by numerous gorges. The area is characterised not only by mountains but also by hills and sandy plains. In the valleys there are alluvial soils on which acacia bushes and spinifex grass grow, as well as low trees and bushes.
The land is mostly owned by the Petermann Aboriginal Land Trust; a small area is Crown Land. The settlement of Kaltukatjara/Docker River (population 355) became well known when it was overrun by 6000 Australian camels in 2009. Other small settlements are located in the Katiti-Petermann Indigenous Protected Area. Rare plants grow in this area and rare animals live there, in addition to the numerous wild horses and camels. The area, including the billabongs (waterholes), is patrolled by the Kaltakatjarra Rangers, who are based at Docker River.
See also
- Flinders chain
- Blue Mountains (Australia)
- Gondwana
