The Snowy Mountains, known informally as The Snowies, is an IBRA subregion and the highest mountain range on the continent of mainland Australia. It contains the Australian mainland's highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches to a height of above sea level. The range also contains the five highest peaks on the Australian mainland (including Mount Kosciuszko), all of which are above . They are located in southern New South Wales and are part of the larger Australian Alps and Great Dividing Range, experiencing large natural snowfalls every winter. Snow normally falls during June, July, August and early September, with the snow cover melting by late spring. The Tasmanian highlands makes up the other (major) alpine region present in Australia.