Mount Kosciuszko (nicknamed "Kozzy" by the notoriously casual Australians) is the highest peak on the world's flattest and smallest continent. Kosciuszko receives a lot of flak, especially from those who believe Puncak Jaya on New Guinea is the proper contribution of the Australia/Oceania continent to the "Seven Summits."

Actually, Australia has some remarkable mountainous topography, such as the Blue Mountains' escarpment sections, Tasmania's crags, and even Mount Townshend, a craggier peak around 1 km north of Kosciuszko and the continent's second highest peak. People might not object to the low elevation of the continent's high point if any of these places possessed Australia's pinnacle. Unfortunately, Australia is left with Mt. Kosciuszko, a ridiculously simple dome with an auto-passable road all the way to the top.

However, cars are not permitted on the road beyond Charlotte's Pass, thus reaching the summit requires a short climb of approximately an hour or so, depending on your fitness level. The wide-open countryside is gorgeous, and the elevation rise is minor. Another somewhat straightforward trek to the peak is from the Thredbo ski area to the south. In the winter, the area might be covered in deep snow. The summit was named after Tadeusz Kosciuszko (1746-1817), a Polish military hero who participated in both the American and Polish wars of independence, by Polish-Australian explorer Paul Strzelecki in 1840. The peak reminded Strzelecki of Kosciuszko's grave in Krakow, Poland. Some believe he climbed Mount Townshend and believed it to be the highest peak in the world.

Height: 2,228m

Location: New South Wales, Australia

Mount Townsend is a mountain in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia, that is part of the Great Dividing Range's Main Range. Mount Townsend is the second-highest mountain on mainland Australia, standing at 2,209 meters (7,247 feet) above sea level. The mountain is 3.68 kilometers (2.29 miles) north of Australia's highest mainland peak, Mount Kosciuszko, in Kosciuszko National Park. Mount Townsend, despite being lower than Mount Kosciuszko, has a more jagged peak and is perhaps more imposing than the more round-topped Mount Kosciuszko.

Mount Townsend has a prominence of only 189 meters, which is modest in comparison to other mountains throughout the world. Townsend would be categorized as a subsidiary peak rather than a mountain under the tougher prominence cutoff standards, the most popular of which is the 300m prominence rule. Due to Australia's significantly lower topography than the rest of the continent, a prominence cut off point of 300m is practically never utilized for designating peaks, instead opting for less stringent standards of 50m or 100m. Mount Bogong in Victoria is the second highest mountain, according to the 300m criteria.

Height: 2.209 m

Location: Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia.

Carruthers Peak, also known as Curruthers Peak, is a mountain in the Great Dividing Range's Main Range in the Snowy Mountains region of southeast New South Wales, Australia. Within the Kosciuszko National Park, the mountain is located between Mount Lee and Mount Twynam. It is one of the most popular peaks behind Kosciuszko and is located on the main range track. The top is a short ridgeline with the western sides to the north and Club Lake to the south, one of mainland Australia's only glacial lakes. In most years, it is snow-covered from late May to early November.

Many people summit it in the summer while hiking the main range track. It is the only mountain on the established track that is climbed, with Kosciusko being a popular detour. The main range, the western faces, and the Sentinel and Watsons Crags, which are the most serious mountain terrain on mainland Australia, can all be seen from the summit. On the southern face of Club Lake, accessible from the main trail or up the valley from Charlottes Pass, there is some rock climbing and scrambling. On compact quartzite, the climbing is usually in the low tens.

Height: 2,145 m

Location: Snowy Mountains, New South Wales, Australia

Mount Tate is located in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, in the southeastern part of the country. At 3,015 meters (9,892 feet), it is one of the highest peaks in the Hida Mountains and one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains," together with Mount Fuji and Mount Haku. Mount Tate is open for climbing from April through November. During Japan's Asuka period, Saeki no Ariyori was the first to climb it. On December 4, 1934, the area was declared as the Chbu-Sangaku National Park.

Tateyama is located in Toyama Prefecture's southeast corner. The village of Tateyama, at the base of the mountain, is reachable by train from Toyama, the prefecture's seat. Climbers and visitors can take public transportation to the Murodo Plateau Station, which is located at an altitude of 2,450 meters (8,038 feet), from where they can walk to the peak.

Climbers can receive a blessing and warm sake from a priest at Oyama Shrine, which is located on the mountain's peak. Climbers can also buy food, beverages, and souvenirs at the rest area. A commercial area and onsen bath are located on the Murodo Plateau. The onsen on Tateyama is famed for using sulfur spring water in its baths, which leaves a distinct odour that can be detected even as you climb the mountain. Climbers traveling along the main route from Tateyama Station to the Murodo Plateau on clear days can see Shmy Falls (Japan's tallest waterfall) across the valley.

Height: 2,068 m

Location: Toyama Prefecture, Japan

Gungartan is a mountain in New South Wales, Australia's Snowy Mountains region. Gungartan is the tallest mountain on mainland Australia that is not part of the Main Range, standing at 2,068 meters (6,785 feet) above sea level. In Kosciuszko National Park, it is close to Whites River Hut.

In the summer, many hikers ascend to the summit for the spectacular views of the neighboring national park. The whole climb to the summit is rather straightforward, with only slight scrambling near the summit. In the winter, the mountain is usually snow-covered, and in good conditions, backcountry skiing over the saddle is great. Due to surface ice and severe winds caused by the funneling effect of the valley below, the saddle and peak are best avoided during bad weather in mid-winter.

Height: 2,068 m

Location: Snowy Mountains, New South Wales, Australia