Mount Lidgbird
{{Short description|Mountain in Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Mount Lidgbird
| other_name = Mount Ledgbird; Big Hill
| photo = LordHoweIsland_MtGower_346.JPG
| photo_size = 280
| photo_alt =
| photo_caption = Mount Lidgbird photographed from the summit of Mount Gower
| elevation_m = 777
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| location = Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia
| map = Australia and New Zealand
| relief = 1
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location off the coast of New South Wales, on Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea
| map_size = 280
| label =
| label_position = top
| coordinates = {{coord|31|33|S|159|05|E|type:mountain_region:AU_scale:100000_source:GNS-enwiki|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
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| coordinates_ref = {{NSW GNR|id=anqwZxKmJP|title=Mount Lidgbird|accessdate=24 May 2015}}
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| type = Volcanic
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Mount Lidgbird, also Mount Ledgbird and Big Hill, is located in the southern section of Lord Howe Island, just north of Mount Gower, from which it is separated by the saddle at the head of Erskine Valley, and has its peak at {{convert|777|m|ft|0}} above sea level.
The trek to the summit is for expert climbers only. Ropes are needed to scale the cliffs and slippery, steep terrain. In comparison, Mount Gower is an easy hike. Halfway up the mountain is Goat House Cave, a former shelter for 19th-century Kentia palm gatherers. From this spot, visitors can see nesting masked boobies and numerous red-tailed tropicbirds.{{cite web |url=http://www.about-australia.com/travel-guides/new-south-wales/lord-howe-island/attractions/natural/mount-lidgbird/ |work=About Australia |title=Mount Lidgbird |access-date=12 July 2009 |date= |publisher= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531071214/http://www.about-australia.com/travel-guides/new-south-wales/lord-howe-island/attractions/natural/mount-lidgbird/ |archive-date=31 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}
Etymology
Mount Lidgbird is named by the naval officer Captain Henry Lidgbird Ball in honour of his father, George Lidgbird Ball. Ball junior first sighted Lord Howe Island in 1788{{cite book |title=Historical Dictionary of the Discovery and Exploration of the Pacific Islands |last1=Quanchi |first1=Max |first2=John|last2=Robson |year=2005 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=0810865289 |page=10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FUwDzM94jGUC |accessdate=17 June 2013}} while he was on his way to Norfolk Island in the ship HMS Supply. He also named the nearby rock outcrop Ball's Pyramid.
Flora
Cryptocarya forest, one of two types found on the island, the other being palm forest, is found in patches on the slopes of the mountain between elevations of {{convert|350|to|600|m}} above sea level.{{cite book |title=Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands |last=Mueller-Dombois |first=Dieter |year=1998 |publisher=Springer |isbn=0387983139 |page=173 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7UB5d33i8WkC |accessdate=17 June 2013}}
Palm species growing on the mountain include Hedyscepe and Lepidorrhachis.{{cite book |title=Australian Palms: Biogeography, Ecology and Systematics |last=Leslie Dowe |first=John |year=2010 |publisher=CSIRO Publishing |isbn=978-0643096158 |pages=239, 191 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fk5ud3uuLW8C |accessdate=17 June 2013}}
Climbing
The North Ridge of Mount Lidgbird was climbed for the first time on 21 August 2011 by Greg Mortimer OAM and Dick Smith AC. {{Cite web |title=Mt Lidgbird, Lord Howe Island Climb |url=https://dicksmithadventure.com.au/mt-lidgbird-lord-howe-island-climb/ |website=Dick Smith Adventure}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|New South Wales|Mountains}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{New South Wales mountains |state=autocollapse}}
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Category:Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Category:Geography of Lord Howe Island
Category:Shield volcanoes of Australia
Category:Volcanoes of New South Wales
Category:Mountains of New South Wales
Category:Volcanoes of the Pacific Ocean