# Mount Timbertop

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Mountain in Victoria, Australia

This article is about the mountain. For the adjacent [Geelong Grammar School](/source/Geelong_Grammar_School) campus, see [Timbertop](/source/Timbertop).

Mount Timbertop Mount Timbertop near Mansfield (ca.1875-ca.1938) Highest point Elevation 1,292 metres (4,239 ft) AHD Prominence 260 m (850 ft) Listing Mountains of Victoria Coordinates 37°9′11″S 146°19′6″E / 37.15306°S 146.31833°E / -37.15306; 146.31833 Geography Mount Timbertop Location in Victoria Country Australia State Victoria Parent range Victorian Alps, Great Dividing Range Climbing Easiest route Hike

**Mount Timbertop** is a forested mountain in north-eastern [Victoria](/source/Victoria_(State)), [Australia](/source/Australia) rising above the [Delatite River](/source/Delatite_River) valley, 23 km south-east of [Mansfield](/source/Mansfield%2C_Victoria). It forms part of the southern [Victorian Alps](/source/Victorian_Alps) within the [Great Dividing Range](/source/Great_Dividing_Range) and lies within the Howqua Hills State Forest. The mountain likely takes its name from the distinctive timbered ridgeline, and is best known for its close proximity to the [Geelong Grammar School](/source/Geelong_Grammar_School) campus of [Timbertop](/source/Timbertop), situated at the foot of the mountain, with the mountain being highly frequented and traversed across the year as part of various outdoor activities of the school.

## Geology, flora and fauna

The summit of Mount Timbertop is composed of the Timbertop Conglomerate, part of the Mansfield Group from the Upper Devonian period. This unit consists of alluvial deposits, including cobble conglomerate pebbly sandstone, and cross-bedded sandstone.[1] Beneath the summit, including the Timbertop Saddle, the mountain consists of the Kevington Creek Formation of the Delatite Group, also from the Devonian. This formation is composed of subaerial pyroclastics, including rhyodacite and rhyolite ignimbrite, coarsely quartz- and feldspar-phyric, with minor ashtone.[2] The presence of rhyolitic rock in the lower slopes is likely the reason for the name of the nearby waterfall, Rhyolite Falls, located on the northern side of Mount Timbertop.

The vegetation of Mount Timbertop reflects its location within the montane forests of the Victorian Alps. Lower slopes are dominated by tall open forests of [mountain ash](/source/Mountain_ash) (*Eucalyptus regnans*), among the tallest flowering plants in the world, indicating deep soils and high annual rainfall. At higher elevations, mountain ash gives way to [alpine ash](/source/Alpine_ash) (*Eucalyptus delegatensis*), a species adapted to colder conditions and snow-prone environments. Exposed upper ridgelines and the summit support [snow gum](/source/Snow_gum) (*Eucalyptus pauciflora*) woodland, with an understorey of heath shrubs, native grasses, and alpine herbs. Fauna that is typically found surrounding Mount Timbertop includes [wombats](/source/Wombat), [king parrots](/source/Australian_king_parrot) and [lyrebirds](/source/Lyrebird).[3]

Mount Timbertop is the namesake of [Timbertop wattle](/source/Acacia_daviesii) (*Acacia daviesii*), a flowering plant which is endemic to the mountain and another small pocket around the [Howqua](/source/Howqua_River) Valley. The mountain is also one of three small areas of Victoria where [sparkling mint-bush](/source/Prostanthera_rhombea) (*Prostanthera rhombea*) can be found. After the [2006 bushfires](/source/2006%E2%80%9307_Australian_bushfire_season), much of the mountain's understorey was colonised by [blanket leaf](/source/Blanket_leaf) (*Bedfordia arborescens*).

## History

The [Taungurung Aboriginal people](/source/Taungurung) frequented the area surrounding Mount Timbertop, who would head into the mountains in order to collect food, including [bogong moths](/source/Bogong_moth) and [yam daisies](/source/Murnong).[4] The Taungurung name for Mount Timbertop is "Warrambat".

The first European to have likely passed through the region was [Major Thomas Mitchell](/source/Major_Thomas_Mitchell) in 1836. In the 1860s and 1870s, pastoralists expanded cattle grazing into the high country, using the mountain's lower slopes during summer months.[5] To the south of Mount Timbertop, gold was found around the [Howqua Hills](/source/Howqua_River) region in the 1860s. Timber resources on and near the mountain were exploited, with selective logging of mountain ash and alpine occurring from the 1880s onwards.

The first vehicular ascent of the mountain was achieved on December 22, 1920, by Mr J. Flood.[6]

## Geography

The summit of Mount Timbertop is best accessed by a short and steep hiking track that leads up from Timbertop Saddle, where vehicles can be parked.[7] This hiking track, known to Timbertop students as "The [Switchbacks](/source/Hairpin_turn)", is home to several hikes and runs across their school year. A termly run, known as "Up Timbertop", sees students run from the school campus and up the nearby Howqua Track, where they must then reach as far up the mountain (or summiting if possible) as they can before a siren is sounded and they must run back, with different levels of the switchbacks as progress markers, so as to improve each term. A track continues off the summit to the east, known as the "Skyline Track" as it follows the "Skyline Ridge", which then joins onto the logging track road known as Doughtys Road, which leads to other tracks that can reach either [Mount Buller](/source/Mount_Buller_(Victoria)) or Mirimbah. Another track, less pronounced, leads off the mountain summit, to the south, following the ridgeline, where it adjoins Muzza's Saddle, where the track continues along to Sheepyard Flat, or back to Timbertop Saddle via Cold Creek, where potable water can be found.

## See also

- [Mount Buller Alpine Resort](/source/Mount_Buller_Alpine_Resort)

- [Merrijig](/source/Merrijig)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Geological Map of Victoria"](https://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/geology/maps). Geoscience Victoria. Retrieved 14 December 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Geological Map of Victoria"](https://www.energyandresources.vic.gov.au/geology/maps). Geoscience Victoria. Retrieved 14 December 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Victorian Alps bioregion"](https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/biodiversity/bioregions-and-ecosystems). Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. Retrieved 14 December 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Significant_Taungurung_Sites_4-0)** ["Taungurung"](https://taungurung.com.au/significant-sites/). Taungurung. Retrieved 14 December 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Tracks_of_the_Morning:_A_Timbertop_History_Text_5-0)** *Tracks of the Morning: A Timbertop History Text*. Geelong Grammar School. 1989. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0947232001](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0947232001).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Trove_6-0)** ["Over Mount Timbertop: Difficult Drive Described"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242253830?searchTerm=mount%20timbertop). Trove.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Explore Outdoors"](https://www.exploreoutdoors.vic.gov.au/activities/walking-in-victoria/mt-timbertop-walk). Victorian Government. Retrieved 14 December 2025.

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
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- [Victoria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Victoria)

v t e Mountains in Victoria, Australia Grampians William (1,167 m or 3,829 ft) Difficult Wilson Zero (364 m or 1,194 ft) Victorian Alps Bogong High Plains Nelse West (1,893 m or 6,211 ft) Nelse North (1,885 m or 6,184 ft) Fainter South (1,883 m or 6,178 ft) Hotham (1,862 m or 6,109 ft) McKay (1,849 m or 6,066 ft) Cope (1,837 m or 6,027 ft) Spion Kopje (1,837 m or 6,027 ft) Jim (1,818 m or 5,965 ft) Cathedral Range Lake (1,482 m or 4,862 ft) The Green Hill (1,241 m or 4,072 ft) Sugarloaf (904 m or 2,966 ft) The Cathedral (801 m or 2,628 ft) South Jawbone Peak (761 m or 2,497 ft) Cobberas Range Cobberas No. 1 (1,810 m or 5,938 ft) Cobberas No. 2 Moscow Peak Middle Peak Cleft Peak Cobbler Plateau Speculation (1,648 m or 5,407 ft) Cobbler (1,628 m or 5,341 ft) Koonika (1,545 m or 5,069 ft) Despair (1,460 m or 4,790 ft) Other Bogong (1,986 m or 6,516 ft) Feathertop (1,922 m or 6,306 ft) Loch (1,865 m or 6,119 ft) Buller (1,805 m or 5,922 ft) Wills (1,755 m or 5,758 ft) Gibbo (1,750 m or 5,741 ft) Stirling (1,749 m or 5,738 ft) Howitt (1,742 m or 5,715 ft) The Horn (1,723 m or 5,653 ft) Buffalo (1,723 m or 5,653 ft) Wellington (1,634 m or 5,361 ft) Buggery (Alpine) (1,598 m or 5,243 ft) Baw Baw (1,567 m or 5,141 ft) Saint Phillack (1,567 m or 5,141 ft) Torbreck (1,516 m or 4,974 ft) St Gwinear (1,509 m or 4,951 ft) Mueller (1,460 m or 4,790 ft) Selma (1,456 m or 4,777 ft) Useful (1,435 m or 4,708 ft) Tambo (1,430 m or 4,692 ft) Selwyn (1,411 m or 4,629 ft) Terrible (1,325 m or 4,347 ft) Timbertop (1,292 m or 4,239 ft) Donna Buang (1,250 m or 4,101 ft) Buggery (Wangaratta) (1,153 m or 3,783 ft) Bulla Bulla (906 m or 2,972 ft) Dom Dom (740 m or 2,428 ft) Brumby Point Pine Other mountain ranges Central Highlands Macedon (1,001 m or 3,284 ft) Dandenong Ranges Dandenong (633 m or 2,077 ft) Pyrenees Ranges Avoca (747 m or 2,451 ft) Warrenmang (537 m or 1,762 ft) Strzelecki Ranges Tassie (740 m or 2,428 ft) Other Matlock (1,377 m or 4,518 ft) Ritchie (1,259 m or 4,131 ft) Toorongo (1,247 m or 4,091 ft) Horsfall (1,130 m or 3,707 ft) Kaye (998 m or 3,274 ft) Elizabeth (941 m or 3,087 ft) Ghiran (924 m or 3,031 ft) Disappointment (794 m or 2,605 ft) Riddell (781 m or 2,562 ft) Beenak (745 m or 2,444 ft) Alexander (744 m or 2,441 ft) Buninyong (719 m or 2,359 ft) Hanging Rock / Diogenes (718 m or 2,356 ft) Warrenheip (714 m or 2,343 ft) Franklin (648 m or 2,126 ft) Beckworth (634 m or 2,080 ft) Corhanwarrabul (628 m or 2,060 ft) Tarrengower (556 m or 1,824 ft) Warrenmang (526 m or 1,726 ft) Teneriffe (444 m or 1,457 ft) Napier (440 m or 1,444 ft) Briggs Bluff (420 m or 1,378 ft) Arapiles (369 m or 1,211 ft) Rouse (367 m or 1,204 ft) You Yangs (352 m or 1,155 ft) Leura (313 m or 1,027 ft) Noorat (310 m or 1,017 ft) Elephant (240 m or 787 ft) Warrnambool (216 m or 709 ft) Pollock (184 m or 604 ft) Budj Bim (178 m or 584 ft) Wycheproof (148 m or 486 ft) Cooper (137 m or 449 ft) Fraser Hopeless Jack Hills

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mount Timbertop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Timbertop) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Timbertop?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.