The Tyndall Range, commonly called The Tyndalls, is a mountain range that is part of the West Coast Range located in the Western region of Tasmania, Australia.

Tyndall Range
The Tyndalls
Aerial photograph of Tyndalls area
Highest point
PeakMount Tyndall
Elevation1,179 m (3,868 ft)
AHD
Coordinates41°55′48″S 145°35′24″E / 41.93000°S 145.59000°E / -41.93000; 145.59000[1]
Geography
Tyndall Range is located in Tasmania
Tyndall Range
Tyndall Range
Location in Tasmania
CountryAustralia
StateTasmania
RegionWestern Tasmania
Range coordinates41°56′24″S 145°35′24″E / 41.94000°S 145.59000°E / -41.94000; 145.59000[2]
Parent rangeWest Coast Range
Geology
Rock ageJurassic
Rock typeDolerite

The main focal point for the range is Mount Tyndall which lies at the northern part of the range. The whole range western slopes can be viewed from the Anthony Road, while the plateau like formation of The Tyndalls is a road free area requiring viewing either from the air, or by foot.

Within the range lies the Tyndall Regional Reserve, a nature reserve that is the western buffer zone for the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park World Heritage Area.[3] The area is north of Mount Sedgwick.

The Tyndalls were named in 1877 by James Reid Scott on the suggestion of Thomas Bather Moore in honour of Professor John Tyndall, a Fellow of the Geological Society who made important contributions in physics, atmospheric science and geology.[4]

View looking south from the Mount Tyndall in Western Tasmania

Features

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The Tyndall Range have a number of glacial lakes, the larger being Lake Huntley, Lake Rolleston, Lake Tyndall and Lake Matthew. The signs of the glaciation were first described by Thomas Bather Moore in 1894.[5][6][7]

The Tyndalls were explored for minerals in the early twentieth century, but no significant working mine ever eventuated.[8][9][10]

The Tyndalls lie south east of the Henty Gold Mine, and Hydro Tasmania dam on the upper Henty River and south of Lake Mackintosh, Lake Murchison and Tullah. They are west of the Sticht Range.

In the 2020s proposals for a walking trail in the range were put forward, despite the relative high incidence of extreme weather conditions compared to other locations. The average extreme weather of the area historically has been recorded at Lake Margaret lying at the south of the range and Mount Reid being at the north west of the range.[11]

See also

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Western side of the Tyndalls in the 1970s

References

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  1. ^ "Mount Tyndall (TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  2. ^ "Tyndall Range (TAS)". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  3. ^ Tyndall (Map) (2 ed.). Tasmap. 2007. Sheet 3835.
  4. ^ Baillie, Peter (2010). "The West Coast Range, Tasmania: Mountains and Geological Giants" (PDF). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 144 (reprint ed.). Hobart, Tasmania: University of Tasmania: 1–13. ISSN 0080-4703. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  5. ^ Moore, Thomas Bather (1893), Discovery of glaciation in the vicinity of mount Tyndall, in Tasmania, retrieved 21 June 2015
  6. ^ "CURRENT TOPICS". Launceston Examiner. Tas. 22 June 1894. p. 4. Retrieved 9 June 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Bowden, Adrian Russell (1974), The glacial geomorphology of the Tyndall Mountains, western Tasmania, retrieved 21 June 2015
  8. ^ "AN ABANDONED DISTRICT". The Examiner (DAILY ed.). Launceston, Tasmania. 12 March 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 23 February 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ White, Matthew J (1996), Stratigraphy, volcanology and sedimentology of the Cambrian Tyndall Group, Mount Read volcanics, western Tasmania, retrieved 21 June 2015
  10. ^ Corbett, K. D.; Jackson, J. C. (1987). "Geology of the Tyndall Range area [cartographic material]" (Map). Mt. Read Volcanics project: map. 5. 1:25,000. Hobart: Geological Survey of Tasmania, Dept. of Mines.
  11. ^ "Tasmania continues to seek new tourism drawcards, but some wilderness advocates have concerns over the latest proposal". ABC News. 20 March 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2023.

Further reading

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