Mount Oxley (New South Wales)

Mount Oxley
Aboriginal: Oombi Oombi^[1]

Highest point
Elevation	307 m (1,007 ft)
Coordinates	30°11.968′S 146°14.377′E / 30.199467°S 146.239617°E / -30.199467; 146.239617Coordinates: 30°11.968′S 146°14.377′E / 30.199467°S 146.239617°E / -30.199467; 146.239617
Geography
Mount Oxley Location in New South Wales
Location	Far West region of New South Wales in outback Australia
Country	Australia
State	nsw
Geology
Age of rock	Cretaceous
Mountain type	Sedimentary

Mount Oxley (Aboriginal: Oombi Oombi^[1]) is a hill^[2] situated 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Bourke in the Far West region of New South Wales in outback Australia.

The hill appears as a mesa-like inselberg, rising 150 metres (490 ft) above the Western Plains. It is a small relic of a formerly large sedimentary rock formation, mostly now eroded away.^[3]^[4] The underlying and surrounding rocks are sedimentary sandstone and metamorphic quartzite.^[5]

The first European to visit the mountain was Charles Sturt in December 1828.^[6] He mentioned "a report as of a gun discharge" near Mount Oxley. He surmised "it might be some gaseous explosion".^[7]

Etymology

Named after the explorer John Oxley, the mountain is known as Oombi Oombi to the Indigenous Australians.^[1] Archaeological evidence suggested that they quarried the area for grinding stones. Stones from Mount Oxley were highly regarded and expensive, and reportedly managed by indigenous elders.^[8]

Flora and fauna

Plants growing here have adapted to the semi-arid climate. They include species of Acacia, the desert bloodwood, weeping pittosporum and leopardwood. Wildflowers of the daisy family are prominent after rain. Animals seen here include western grey kangaroo and feral goats. Wedge-tailed eagles are often seen flying above the mountain.

Geology

A number of small crater-like rocky formations may be seen in two distinct lines on the top part of the hill.^[5] There is ongoing speculation regarding their formation. The most likely explanation for the speculated 'huge steam vents', explosions and craters is geological. Other theories include meteors, evil spirits, omens, artillery, animals or unidentified human activity.^[9]^[10] Charles Sturt's exploring party reached there in January 1828 and recorded a description of the curious craters:

"Oxley's Table Land is situated in lat. 29° 57´ 30´´, and in E. long. 145° 43´ 30´´, the mean variation being 6.32 easterly. It consists of two hills that appear to have been rent asunder by some convulsion of nature, since the passage between them is narrow and their inner faces are equally perpendicular. The hill which I have named after the late Surveyor-general, is steep on all sides; but the other gradually declines from the south, and at length loses itself in a large plain that extends to the north. It is from four to five miles in length, and is picturesque in appearance, and lightly wooded. A few cypresses were growing on Oxley's Table Land; but it had, otherwise, very little timber upon its summit. Both hills are of sandstone formation, and there are some hollows upon the last that deserve particular notice. They have the appearance of having been formed by eddies of water, being deeper in the centre than at any other part, and contain fragments and slabs of sandstone of various size and breadth, without a particle of soil or of sand between them. It is to be observed that the edges of these slabs, which were perfect parallelograms, were unbroken, and that they were as clean as if they had only just been turned out of the hand of the mason. We counted thirteen of these hollows in one spot about twenty-five feet in diameter, but they are without doubt of periodical formation, since a single hollow was observed lower than the summit of the hill upon its south extremity, that had evidently long been exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and had a general coating of moss over it."^[11]

Mount Oxley has been mooted as a site for a seven-turbine 18 megawatts (24,000 hp) wind farm.^[12]

References

1 2 3 Jones, Garry (2009). "Yengo Country: A Source of Cultural and Spiritual Awakening" (PDF). Retrieved 27 April 2012.
↑ "Mount Oxley". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
↑ Süssmilch, C A. "Mount Oxley". An introduction to the geology of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
↑ "Mount Oxley and Coolabah Geological Mapping Project Project update – December 2011" (PDF). Geological Survey of NSW. NSW Trade & Investment – Resources & Energy. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
1 2 Cuneo, W.A. (2 October 1918). "A Glimpse of the Western Plains". The Sydney Mail. p. 9. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
↑ Mount Oxley – The History & The Mystery (Brochure 2005)
↑ "Mount Oxley". Outback New South Wales. Travel Downunder. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
↑ George L. Benwell, Bruce R McLennan, Thomas Grasberger & John Fryer. "Spatial Data Analysis of Aboriginal Rock Extraction Sites at Brewarrina, NSW, Australia" (PDF). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
↑ "Mysterious Mount Oxley". Mount Oxley. Outback Online. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
↑ "Mount Oxley". MYSTERIOUS MOUNDS, CURIOUS CRATERS, ROCK PILES & OTHER DISTURBANCES. Geosites Zoom Share. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
↑ Expedition Down the Banks of the Macquarie River, In 1828 and 1829 Chapter II pages 81-82
↑ Marsh, George (2007). "Australia slowly embraces renewables". Renewable Energy Focus. 8 (4): 64–68. doi:10.1016/S1471-0846(07)70110-5.

Mountains in New South Wales, Australia

Coastal mountain ranges
(not part of the
Great Dividing Range)

Mid North Coast	Middle Brother (554 m or 1,818 ft) South Brother (487 m or 1,598 ft) North Brother (476 m or 1,562 ft)

Allyn, Barrington & Mount Royal	Brumlow Tops (1,586 m or 5,203 ft) Polblue (1,575 m or 5,167 ft) Barrington (1,555 m or 5,102 ft) Careys Peak (1,544 m or 5,066 ft) Eremeren Point (1,537 m or 5,043 ft) Royal (1,185 m or 3,888 ft) Allyn (1,125 m or 3,691 ft) Cabrebald (1,000 m or 3,281 ft) Ben Bullen Gunama Lumeah

Gibraltar and Sugarloaf	Summit (1,170 m or 3,839 ft) Sugarloaf (412 m or 1,352 ft) Bulahdelah Manning

Blue Mountains	Coricudgy (1,255 m or 4,117 ft) unnamed peak (1,189 m or 3,901 ft) Pomany (1,109 m or 3,638 ft) Piddington (1,094 m or 3,589 ft) Boyce (1,093 m or 3,586 ft) York (1,061 m or 3,481 ft) Victoria (1,059 m or 3,474 ft) Banks (1,049 m or 3,442 ft) Tomah (1,016 m or 3,333 ft) Wilson (1,008 m or 3,307 ft) Kings Tableland (1,000 m or 3,281 ft) Narrow Neck Plateau (1,000 m or 3,281 ft) Castle Cliff (986 m or 3,235 ft) Solitary (950 m or 3,117 ft) Hay (944 m or 3,097 ft) Podgers (890 m or 2,920 ft) Irvine (850 m or 2,789 ft) Debert (840 m or 2,756 ft) Camp Cave (800 m or 2,625 ft) Warrigal (760 m or 2,493 ft) Notts (750 m or 2,461 ft) Harris (736 m or 2,415 ft) Centre (620 m or 2,034 ft) Hall (617 m or 2,024 ft) Gibson (608 m or 1,995 ft) Scorpion (558 m or 1,831 ft) Linda Rock (599 m or 1,965 ft) Cookem (569 m or 1,867 ft) Gospers Bedford Cameron Coriaday Erskine Mistake Monundilla Whaite Wirraba Pearces Wedding Cake

Illawarra	Bells (803 m or 2,635 ft) Knights Hill (709 m or 2,326 ft) Noorinan (663 m or 2,175 ft) Saddleback (600 m or 1,969 ft) Wanyambilli Hill (564 m or 1,850 ft) Kembla (534 m or 1,752 ft) Burelli (531 m or 1,742 ft) Kembla West (512 m or 1,680 ft) Brisbane (469 m or 1,539 ft) Keira (464 m or 1,522 ft) Warra (464 m or 1,522 ft) Brokers Nose (440 m or 1,444 ft) Nebo (252 m or 827 ft)

The Budawangs	Budawang (1,129 m or 3,704 ft) Currockbilly (1,087 m or 3,566 ft) Wog Wog (893 m or 2,930 ft) Cole (876 m or 2,874 ft) Sturgiss (858 m or 2,815 ft) Fosters (857 m or 2,812 ft) Barneys Hill (855 m or 2,805 ft) The Castle (831 m or 2,726 ft) Shrouded Gods (809 m or 2,654 ft) Donjon (786 m or 2,579 ft) Clyde (781 m or 2,562 ft) Quiltys (775 m or 2,543 ft) Wirritin (674 m or 2,211 ft) Pigeon House / Didthul (720 m or 2,362 ft) Bushwalker (640 m or 2,100 ft) Byangee (500 m or 1,640 ft) Coolangatta Tarn

Great Dividing Range

Tweed

Warning (1,156 m or 3,793 ft)
Bar (1,130 m or 3,707 ft)
Glenugie (316 m or 1,037 ft)
Chincogan (260 m or 853 ft)
Gladstone
Goobergooberyam
Moombil

McPherson and Nightcap

Barney (1,359 m or 4,459 ft)
Burrell 933 m or 3,061 ft)
Neville (919 m or 3,015 ft)
Nardi (812 m or 2,664 ft)
Matheson (804 m or 2,638 ft)
Peates (604 m or 1,982 ft)

Mid North Coast

Banda Banda (1,258 m or 4,127 ft)

Nandewar

Kaputar (1,489 m or 4,885 ft)
Dowe (1,457 m or 4,780 ft)
Mount Coryah (1,409 m or 4,623 ft)
Lindesay (1,373 m or 4,505 ft)
Grattai (1,301 m or 4,268 ft)
Bushy (1,260 m or 4,134 ft)
Round (1,250 m or 4,101 ft)
Yulludunida (1,225 m or 4,019 ft)
Castle Top (1,120 m or 3,675 ft)
Gins (1,120 m or 3,675 ft)
Ningadhun (1,013 m or 3,323 ft)

Liverpool and Watagan

unnamed (1,300 m or 4,265 ft)
Pandoras Pass (788 m or 2,585 ft)
Warrawolong (641 m or 2,103 ft)

New England and Moonbi

Round (1,585 m or 5,200 ft)
Point Lookout (1,564 m or 5,131 ft)
Ben Lomond (1,512 m or 4,961 ft)
Grundy (1,463 m or 4,800 ft)
Barren (1,437 m or 4,715 ft)
Hyland (1,434 m or 4,705 ft)
Duval (1,393 m or 4,570 ft)
Black Jack (1,300 m or 4,265 ft)
Gulligal (1,230 m or 4,035 ft)
Oaky (1,070 m or 3,510 ft)
Cooee (1,020 m or 3,346 ft)
Flaggy (984 m or 3,228 ft)
Big Billy (884 m or 2,900 ft)
Dorrigo (762 m or 2,500 ft)
Burning (520 m or 1,706 ft)
Yarrowyck

Central Tablelands

Canobolas (1,395 m or 4,577 ft)
Shooters Hill (1,394 m or 4,573 ft)
Bindo (1,363 m or 4,472 ft)
Trickett (1,362 m or 4,469 ft)
Blaxland
Hopeless

The Brindabellas and Scabby

Bimberi (1,913 m or 6,276 ft)
Gingera (1,857 m or 6,093 ft)
Kelly (1,829 m or 6,001 ft)
Ginini (1,762 m or 5,781 ft)
Franklin (1,646 m or 5,400 ft)
Aggie (1,421 m or 4,662 ft)
Coree (1,421 m or 4,662 ft)
Bramina (1,392 m or 4,567 ft)
Bulls Head (1,375 m or 4,511 ft)
Black Bottle (1,356 m or 4,449 ft)
Lickhole (1,188 m or 3,898 ft)
Brindabella (972 m or 3,189 ft)

Monaro

Big Badja (1,363 m or 4,472 ft)
Brown (1,243 m or 4,078 ft)
Gibraltar (Bungendore) (887 m or 2,910 ft)
Gibraltar Hill

Snowies

Main	Kosciuszko (2,228 m or 7,310 ft) Townsend (2,209 m or 7,247 ft) unnamed peak on Etheridge Ridge (2,180 m or 7,152 ft) Alice Rawson Peak (2,160 m or 7,087 ft) Byatts Camp (2,159 m or 7,083 ft) Carruthers (2,145 m or 7,037 ft) Abbott Peak (2,145 m or 7,037 ft) Mount Northcote (2,131 m or 6,991 ft) Muellers Peak (2,120 m or 6,955 ft) Clark (2,100 m or 6,890 ft) Lee (2,100 m or 6,890 ft) Gungartan (2,068 m or 6,785 ft) Tate (2,068 m or 6,785 ft) Jagungal (2,061 m or 6,762 ft) Perisher (2,054 m or 6,739 ft) Stilwell (2,040 m or 6,693 ft) Watsons Crags (2,020 m or 6,627 ft) Back Perisher (2,014 m or 6,608 ft) Anton (2,000 m or 6,562 ft) Anderson (1,997 m or 6,552 ft) Blue Cow (1,994 m or 6,542 ft) The Granite Peaks (1,980 m or 6,496 ft) Dicky Cooper Bogong (1,980 m or 6,496 ft) Gills Knobs (1,940 m or 6,365 ft) Guthega Peak (1,924 m or 6,312 ft) Blue Calf (1,905 m or 6,250 ft) Sentinel (1,900 m or 6,234 ft) Mount Piper (1,830 m or 6,004 ft) Round (1,756 m or 5,761 ft)

Ramshead	Rams Head (2,190 m or 7,185 ft) Twynam (2,178 m or 7,146 ft) Rams Head North (2,177 m or 7,142 ft) Little Twynam (2,120 m or 6,955 ft)

Other mountains in the GDR

Yengo (668 m or 2,192 ft)

Inland mountain ranges

Barrier	Lewis Peak (297 m or 974 ft)

Warrumbungles	Exmouth (1,206 m or 3,957 ft) Woorut (1,165 m or 3,822 ft) Needle

Other inland mountains	Grenfell Gibralter Hill

Island mountain ranges

Lord Howe	Gower (875 m or 2,871 ft) Lidgbird (777 m or 2,549 ft)

Mountains not within a specific range

Gibraltar (863 m or 2,831 ft)
Gulaga (806 m or 2,644 ft)
Ulandra (761 m or 2,497 ft)
Tilga (329 m or 1,079 ft)
Oxley (307 m or 1,007 ft)

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Mount Oxley (New South Wales)

Etymology

Flora and fauna

Geology

See also

References