The Snowy Mountains, commonly referred to as "The Snowies", are located in southern New South Wales and are part of the Australian Alps and the Great Dividing Range. The range contains the five highest peaks on the Australian mainland, all above 2,100 meters. The highest is Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mountain with a peak at 2,228 meters.
The region experiences large natural snowfalls from June to August every year. Most of the snow melts by late October. The lush undergrowth provides for some spectacular scenery during the summer months. Part of the mountains known as Main Range contains Australia's five glacial lakes. The largest of these lakes is Blue Lake, one of the headwaters of the Snowy River. The other four glacial lakes are Lake Albina, Lake Cootapatamba, Club Lake and Headley Tarn. Lake Cootapatamba is the highest lake on the Australian mainland.