Bellenden Ker Range

▪ massif, Queensland, Australia

      granitic massif, in the Eastern Highlands, northeastern Queensland, Australia, extending for 40 mi (65 km) along the coast northeast from Nerada to Gordonvale, just south of Cairns. Bounded by the Mulgrave River (east), the Innisfail Downs (south), and the Atherton Plateau (west), the range was named after the Scottish botanist John Bellenden-Ker and culminates at Mt. Bartle Frere, 5,287 ft (1,611 m). In 1921 the area was made a national park, which encompasses 125 sq mi (325 sq km) and is accessible via the Bruce Highway from Brisbane (830 mi southeast). Features include Aboriginal bora (ringlike mounds of earth used for tribal rites), varied wildlife (including kangaroo), and vegetation ranging from tropical rain forests to scrub-covered peaks.

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