MacDonnell Ranges are a belt of rugged mountains in the southern part of Australia’s Northern Territory. The ranges extend east and west of Alice Springs. The red cliffs and deep gorges and chasms are among many outstanding geological formations. The mountains are composed of crystalline rock in the north and sedimentary rock in the south. The highest peak is Mount Zeil, which is 5,023 feet (1,531 meters) above sea level.
The MacDonnell Ranges are one of the best-watered regions of central Australia. The Todd and Finke rivers flow southeast through the ranges. The gorges contain species of palms that are probably residual from a period when the climate was tropical. The explorer John McDouall Stuart discovered the ranges in 1860, and named them after a South Australian governor, Sir Richard MacDonnell.
