Topographic maps
Click on a map to view its topography, its elevation and its terrain.
Sydney
Sydney's topography is characterized by a diverse landscape that seamlessly blends coastal features with inland plateaus. The city is divided into two primary regions: the relatively flat Cumberland Plain to the south and west of Sydney Harbour, and the elevated Hornsby Plateau to the north. The Cumberland…
Average elevation: 51 m
City of Melbourne
Melbourne's topography is characterized by a diverse landscape that transitions from flat coastal plains to rolling hills and mountainous regions. The city is situated at the northern end of Port Phillip Bay, where the terrain is predominantly flat, facilitating urban development. As one moves eastward, the…
Average elevation: 18 m
Victoria
Victoria, Australia, exhibits a remarkably varied topography shaped by the Great Dividing Range, which forms a west-to-east spine across the state. In the northeast, the Victorian Alps rise to the state’s highest point, Mount Bogong at 1,986 meters, amid deep valleys and snow-capped ridges, while westward,…
Average elevation: 179 m
Toowoomba
The city occupies the edge of the range and the low ridges behind it. Two valleys run north from the southern boundary, each arising from springs either side of Middle Ridge near Spring Street at an altitude of around 680 m. These waterways, East Creek and West Creek, flow together just north of the CBD to…
Average elevation: 458 m
Perth
Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is situated on the Swan Coastal Plain, a flat expanse of sandy soil nestled between the Indian Ocean to the west and the Darling Scarp to the east. The Darling Scarp, also known as the Darling Range, is a low escarpment that extends north–south, marking a distinct…
Average elevation: 26 m
Western Australia
Because the only mountain-building since then has been of the Stirling Range with the rifting from Antarctica, the land is extremely eroded and ancient, with no part of the state above 1,245 metres (4,085 ft) AHD (at Mount Meharry in the Hamersley Range of the Pilbara region). Most of the state is a low…
Average elevation: 194 m
Queensland
Queensland's topography is characterized by a diverse landscape that includes coastal plains, mountain ranges, plateaus, and expansive inland areas. The Great Dividing Range runs parallel to the state's eastern coast, forming a series of mountain ranges, plateaus, and upland areas. This range influences the…
Average elevation: 122 m
Australia
Australia's topography is characterized by vast, low-lying plains interspersed with notable highland regions. The Western Plateau, encompassing much of the continent's interior, is a flat expanse punctuated by isolated ranges such as the MacDonnell and Musgrave Ranges, as well as iconic formations like Uluru.…
Average elevation: 35 m
Tasmania
The most mountainous region is the Central Highlands area, which covers most of the central western parts of the state. The Midlands located in the central east, is fairly flat, and is predominantly used for agriculture, although farming activity is scattered throughout the state. Tasmania's tallest mountain…
Average elevation: 220 m
Adelaide
Australia > South Australia > Adelaide
Adelaide is north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, on the Adelaide Plains between the Gulf St Vincent and the low-lying Mount Lofty Ranges. The city stretches 20 km (12 mi) from the coast to the foothills, and 90 km (56 mi) from Gawler at its northern extent to Sellicks Beach in the south. According to the Regional…
Average elevation: 148 m
City of Brisbane
Brisbane's topography is characterized by a series of hills and ranges that define its landscape. The city is situated on a low-lying floodplain, with the Brisbane River meandering through its heart, creating a winding course with many steep curves from the southwest to its mouth at Moreton Bay in the east.…
Average elevation: 71 m
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills, that runs roughly parallel to the east coast of Australia and forms the…
Average elevation: 117 m
Melbourne
Melbourne is also prone to isolated convective showers forming when a cold pool crosses the state, especially if there is considerable daytime heating. These showers are often heavy and can include hail, squalls, and significant drops in temperature, but they often pass through very quickly with a rapid…
Average elevation: 185 m
Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko is the highest summit in mainland Australia. Until 1977 it was possible to drive from Charlotte Pass to within a few metres of the summit, but in 1977 the road was closed to public motor vehicle access due to environmental concerns. The road is open from Charlotte Pass for walkers and cyclists…
Average elevation: 2,035 m
Sunshine Coast
Australia > Queensland > Sunshine Coast Regional
The Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, showcases a diverse topography that harmoniously blends coastal plains with rugged hinterlands. Along its eastern edge, the region features expansive sandy beaches and coastal dunes that transition smoothly into fertile lowlands. Inland, the terrain becomes more…
Average elevation: 109 m
Canberra
Australia > District of Canberra Central
The area chosen for the capital had been inhabited by Indigenous Australians for up to 21,000 years, with the principal group being the Ngunnawal people. European settlement commenced in the first half of the 19th century, as evidenced by surviving landmarks such as St John's Anglican Church and Blundells…
Average elevation: 638 m
Cairns
South of Smithfield and inland from the Northern Beaches along the edge of the Barron River flood plain are the suburbs of Caravonica, Kamerunga, Freshwater, and Stratford. This area is sometimes referred to as Freshwater Valley, though it is actually the lower part of Redlynch Valley; further up the valley…
Average elevation: 176 m
New South Wales
New South Wales (NSW), located on Australia's eastern seaboard, boasts a diverse topography that significantly influences its landscapes and ecosystems. The state's eastern edge is dominated by a narrow coastal plain, featuring regions such as the Illawarra and Shoalhaven near Nowra, characterized by rolling…
Average elevation: 154 m
Orange
Orange is a city in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. It is 254 km (158 mi) west of the state capital, Sydney [206 km (128 mi) on a great circle], at an altitude of 862 metres (2,828 ft). Orange had an estimated urban population of 40,493 as of June 2018 making the city a significant…
Average elevation: 852 m
Ballarat
Ballarat has a moderate oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) with four distinct seasons. Its elevation, ranging between 400 and 630 metres (1,310 and 2,070 feet) above sea level, causes its mean monthly temperatures to tend to be on average 3 to 5 °C (5 to 9 °F) below those of Melbourne,…
Average elevation: 470 m
Sydney
Phillip had been given no instructions for urban development, but in July 1788 submitted a plan for the new town at Sydney Cove. It included a wide central avenue, a permanent Government House, law courts, hospital and other public buildings, but no provision for warehouses, shops, or other commercial…
Average elevation: 32 m
New Zealand
New Zealand (Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu)—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country by area, covering 268,021…
Average elevation: 399 m
Melbourne
Melbourne is also prone to isolated convective showers forming when a cold pool crosses the state, especially if there is considerable daytime heating. These showers are often heavy and can include hail, squalls, and significant drops in temperature, but they often pass through very quickly with a rapid…
Average elevation: 49 m
Ellenbrook
The suburb sits in the south-east corner of the Gnangara Mound, close to the Darling Scarp. Topographically, the majority of Ellenbrook's area sits between 40-50 metres above sea level on the mound, with parts of Coolamon and Malvern Springs situated on hills that reach peaks of 65 metres. The northern village…
Average elevation: 49 m
Frankston
Australia > Victoria > Melbourne
Olivers Hill is the most prominent elevation in Frankston which rises to 55 metres above sea level (180 feet) at its highest point in the suburb. Its origins date to approximately 415 to 360 million years ago. Its base is Mount Eliza Granite dating from the Devonian period, which was covered in lava tuffs in…
Average elevation: 40 m
Goulburn
Owing to its elevation, Goulburn has an oceanic climate (Cfb) with warm summers and cool winters; with a high diurnal range. Its climate is variable much of the year, though generally dry with maximum temperatures ranging from 11.8 °C (53.2 °F) in July to 28.3 °C (82.9 °F) in January. Rainfall is…
Average elevation: 666 m
Albert Park
Heritage Victoria notes that Albert Park's St Vincent Gardens "is historically important as the premier 'square' development in Victoria based on similar models in London. It is significant as the largest development of its type in Victoria and for its unusual development as gardens rather than the more usual…
Average elevation: 6 m
Gundagai
Gundagai is an inland town with an elevation of 232 metres (761 ft). Almost all of the shire is located in the South West Slopes bio-region and is part of the Riverina agricultural region. The eastern part of the shire is considered part of the South Eastern Highlands bioregion.
Average elevation: 309 m
