Australia Has A Mountain Called Mt Disappointment; Here’s The Interesting Story Behind Its Name

by Sanjana Shenoy
Australia Has A Mountain Called Mt Disappointment; Here’s The Interesting Story Behind Its Name

You’d think what’s in a name. But if the name of a majestic mountain in Australia is Mt Disappointment, you’d definitely be curious to know why. This  2600 feet tall mountain is nestled on southern end of the Great Dividing Range. A one hour drive from Melbourne, Mount Disappointment is the traditional land of the Kulin nation of aboriginal Australians. Ancient stone weapons have been found here. So, how did a spectacular mountain in Australia got known to be called Mt Disappointment? Is it really a disappointment? Well, read on to find out more. 

Story Behind The Unusual Mount Disappointment In Australia

The story behind Mt Disappointment’s name goes all the way back 150 years ago. George Montague Wheeler, a 27-year-old Army lieutenant had a bold plan to map the whole of the United States west of the 100th meridian. This is a north-south line that runs through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas. As part of this mission, Wheeler appointed a group of surveyors. In order to carry out this survey, Wheeler’s men dragged heavy equipment up mountains, trekked for days, fell ill due to the ascend but didn’t give up. Two of his explorers, Hamilton Hume and William Hovell climbed up a tall mountain, just to get the view of Port Phillip Bay. This is a horse-shaped bay on the central coastline of Victoria. 

 

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After making the arduous climb to reach the summit, Hume and Hovell hoped to finally witness the distant Port Phillip Bay. Alas, the mountain’s many trees blocked the view which resulted in utter disappointment. In addition to this downfall, Hume suffered a painful injury in his groin. He ended up facing a lot of pain and the entire party of surveyors had to put a 5-day halt to their mission. After experiencing one disappointment, after another, Hamilton Hume and William Hovell decided to immortalise their disappointment, by naming the Australian peak, Mount Disappointment. So, yes it got its name from a tantrum thrown by surveyors. 

mount Disappointment
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Is Mt Disappointment Really Disappointing?

Now that this story has piqued your curiosity behind the unusual or rather pessimistic name, the question arises, is it really so disappointing? Well, let’s tell you more about this and leave it for you to decide. Mount Disappointment is one of Melbourne’s most accessible forest areas. This mountain offers a range of recreation activities like camping sites, picnic areas and walking tracks. The forest here houses the remains of a World War II prisoner camp. You’d notice beautiful wildflowers growing here. A walk or hike up this mountain is at its most pleasant during the months of March till October.

Also Read: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Now On UNESCO’s Endangered List; Half Of Its Corals Lost Due To Climate Change

 

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A trek up Mount Disappointment is ironically a pleasant one. You’d come across superszied pine cones and little lizards. The clouds look clear and fluffy and birds dive right below, to welcome you. While it took days for the surveyors to reach the peak, today it only takes a few hours. The top of the mountain is flat as Mt. Disappointment was one of the 16 Nike missile launch sites in the 1950s. Adventure enthusiasts will be thrilled to discover a cracked helicopter pad and a few buzzing radio towers. And the view is gorgeous, as you’d notice the expansive Los Angeles basin.

 

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The cool breeze and foggy mist surround you, and it’s a dreamy vibe. While two surveyors didn’t like the view of a mountain 150 years ago and named it Mount Disappointment, today, it’s known to be a lovely trekking spot. Is it disappointing? Well, we think, certainly not!