Updated: 11 March 2004
Elevations
Australia is the lowest continent in the world with an average elevation of only 330 metres. The highest points on the other continents are all more than twice the height of Mount Kosciuszko (2228 metres). The world's highest mountain, Mount Everest (8848 metres) is almost four times as high.
[back to top]
Highest and lowest points
Source: Geoscience Australia GEODATA TOPO-250K, 1993.
[back to top]
Elevation by percentage of land mass
| ELEVATION |
AREA (km2) |
PERCENTAGE OF AUSTRALIA* |
CUMULATIVE PERCENTAGE |
| Below sea level |
8 500 |
0.11 |
0.11 |
| 0 - 199m |
2 909 500 |
37.98 |
38.09 |
| 200 - 499m |
3 728 700 |
48.68 |
86.77 |
| 500 - 999m |
940 600 |
12.28 |
99.05 |
| 1000 - 1499m |
66 600 |
0.87 |
99.92 |
| 1500 - 1999m |
5 200 |
0.07 |
99.99 |
| 2000m + |
800 |
0.01 |
100.00 |
* Excludes islands
View full size elevation map
[back to top]
Highest cities and towns by State/Territory
| STATE/TERRITORY |
CITY/TOWN NAME |
HEIGHT (m) |
| New South Wales |
Perisher Valley |
1 740 |
| Victoria |
Hotham Heights |
1 700 |
| Tasmania |
Reynolds Neck |
1 100 |
| Queensland |
Ravenshoe |
930 |
| Western Australia |
Tom Price |
750 |
| Northern Territory |
Areyonga |
700 |
| South Australia |
Amata |
700 |
| Australian Capital Territory |
Canberra |
660 |
