New South Wales: Geography and Climate

Question 1

What mountain range separates the wetter coastal areas from the more arid interior in New South Wales?

Answer 1

The Great Dividing Range, a complex of mountain ranges running along the north-south axis of eastern Australia.

Question 2

Where does the majority of production take place in New South Wales?

Answer 2

Over half of the state’s production concentrated west of the Great Dividing Range in the heavily irrigated Riverina region, also known as the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.

Question 3

What sub-region here is subtropical?

Answer 3

Hunter

Question 4

What mountain range does Hunter run eastward from?

Answer 4

Brokenback Mountains

Question 5

What New South Wales subregion is alpine cool-climate?

Answer 5

Tumbarumba GI produces sparkling wines and still Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the sun-drenched, basalt slopes of the Snowy Mountains.

Question 6

What is the Capital of NSW?

Answer 6

Sydney

Question 7

What are the top two climatic features affecting NSW?

Answer 7

The Pacific Ocean and the Great Dividing Range

Question 8

What effect does the Great Dividing Range have on NSW?

Answer 8

The Great Dividing Range, a complex of mountain chains running along the entire coastline of NSW, blocks western areas from rainfall and cooling maritime breezes—the inland zones of Big Rivers and Western Plains are especially arid and progressively hotter as one moves north.

Question 9

What is the climate like in the coastal zones of NSW?

Answer 9

In the coastal zones of South Coast, Hunter, and Northern Rivers, humidity is high and summer rainfall is especially common, particularly as one moves north, where the water warms and lingering effects of the Indo-Australian monsoon season’s impact are felt.

Question 10

What are the highest mountains in Australia?

Answer 10

The Snowy Mountains, an alpine sector of the Great Dividing Range located within the Southern New South Wales zone.

Question 11

What is the climate and average rainfall of Hunter Valley?

Answer 11

One of the warmest and wettest climates among Australia’s winegrowing regions. It is *sub-tropical and humid, and the Lower Hunter averages over *20 inches of rain during the growing season.

Question 12

What region is one of the highest (elevation) in the country overall?

Answer 12

Orange GI begins at the 600-meter line of elevation, and its vineyards rise up the slopes of NSW’s central highlands, past the 1000-meter mark.

Question 13

What is the highest point in Orange GI?

Answer 13

Mount Canobolas, an extinct volcano and the source of the region’s richest, basalt-derived soils.

Question 14

What GI experiences more rainfall during the growing season than any other GI?

Answer 14

The Northern Rivers’ Hastings River GI lies right on the coast; it is unequivocally hot—falling within Region V on Winkler’s Scale—and it experiences more rainfall during the growing season than any other region in Australia.

Question 15

What are the two big rivers in the Big Rivers GI Zone?

Answer 15

The Murray and the Murrumbidgee.

Question 16

What is the National Capital of Australia and what famous GI surrounds it?

Answer 16

The Canberra District GI surrounds the national capital (Canberra) and is the zone’s most important growing region.

Question 17

What is are some geographic and climatic features of Canberra District GI?

Answer 17

Set against the backdrop of the Snowy Mountains, it has a mild, continental climate—not unlike the Northern Rhône Valley.

Question 18

Where is the Tumbarumba GI located?

Answer 18

Southern New South Wales Zone: Tumbarumba GI, south of Gundagai, lies within the foothills of the Snowy Mountains and has a measurably cooler climate, well suited for the production of sparkling wines.