Mount Victoria is the highest point in the
Owen Stanley RangeOwen Stanley Range is the south-eastern part of the central mountain-chain in Papua New Guinea. It was seen in 1849 by Captain Owen Stanley while surveying the south coast of Papua and named after him. Strictly, the eastern extremity of the range is Mount Victoria , which was climbed by Sir William...
s in Central Province,
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
at 4,072 metres. It lies approximately 75km north-north-west of
Port Moresby||-||-||-||}Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, population 255,000 , is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . The city is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea.The area on which the city was founded has been inhabited by...
and can be seen on a clear day from the city.
Originally known as just the
Great Mountain there had been several attempts to scale the peak by British colonialists in the 1880s. These attempts had failed after clashes with local villagers.
The first successful recorded ascent was in 1889 by the British New Guinea Administrator, Sir
William MacGregorSir William MacGregor GCMG, CB, PC, was a Lieutenant-Governor of British New Guinea, Governor of Newfoundland and Governor of Queensland.-Early life:...
.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Mount Victoria, Papua New Guinea' Start a new discussion about 'Mount Victoria, Papua New Guinea' Answer questions from other users |
Mount Victoria is the highest point in the
Owen Stanley RangeOwen Stanley Range is the south-eastern part of the central mountain-chain in Papua New Guinea. It was seen in 1849 by Captain Owen Stanley while surveying the south coast of Papua and named after him. Strictly, the eastern extremity of the range is Mount Victoria , which was climbed by Sir William...
s in Central Province,
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
at 4,072 metres. It lies approximately 75km north-north-west of
Port Moresby||-||-||-||}Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, population 255,000 , is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . The city is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea.The area on which the city was founded has been inhabited by...
and can be seen on a clear day from the city.
History
Originally known as just the
Great Mountain there had been several attempts to scale the peak by British colonialists in the 1880s. These attempts had failed after clashes with local villagers.
The first successful recorded ascent was in 1889 by the British New Guinea Administrator, Sir
William MacGregorSir William MacGregor GCMG, CB, PC, was a Lieutenant-Governor of British New Guinea, Governor of Newfoundland and Governor of Queensland.-Early life:...
. MacGregor had been in the territory as Administrator for only six months before he was compelled to launch an expedition to climb the mountain for himself.
Starting on 17 May 1889, MacGregor approached the mountain from the west via the Vanapa River. His party included his private secretary J.B Cameron, a
SamoaSamoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa , is a country governing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savai'i...
n half-caste and thirty-eight Papuans and Polynesians. After ascending two smaller mountains, Mount Musgrave and Mount Knutsford, MacGregor eventually climbed the
Great Mountain on 11 June and prompty renamed it Mount Victoria in honour of Queen Victoria.