Mount Baw Baw, Mountain summit in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
Mount Baw Baw is a mountain summit in Gippsland, Victoria, rising to approximately 1,567 meters with slopes made of granodiorite rock. The hillsides are covered with montane eucalypts, cool temperate rainforest, and snow gums that form distinct forest zones at different elevations.
Baron Ferdinand von Mueller completed the first recorded European ascent in 1860 and named nearby Christmas Creek during his collecting expedition. This early exploration helped bring scientific attention to this mountain region.
The name Mount Baw Baw comes from the Yarra-Yallou and Gunna-Kurnai peoples who lived in Gippsland, and may refer to echo or ghost. This origin reflects how deeply these indigenous groups understood and named the land around them.
The location is easy to reach and offers a small winter sports area with ski runs and lifts for beginner and intermediate skiers. The best time to visit is winter when snow is present, though the forests are accessible for walking in other seasons as well.
The high annual rainfall of around 1,900 millimeters creates a wet environment supporting different ecological zones packed within dense forest. Visitors will notice that vegetation changes markedly with elevation and mist often shrouds the summit.
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