1. Mt Warning, NSW

The 1156m Wollumbin-Mt Warning in Wollumbin National Park attracts a year-round procession of boot-clad admirers. The mountain, a remnant central vent of an ancient volcano, receives Australia’s first rays of sunlight; to catch that early glow, some torch-wielding visitors begin the 9km, five-hour return hike in darkness.

2. Mt Gower, Lord Howe Island, NSW

To capitalise on 875m Mt Gower’s lofty views of 777m Mt Lidgbird, castle-like islet Balls Pyramid, and much of the rest of the stunning 11km by 2km Lord Howe Island and its marine park, you must go with a licensed guide.

3. Mt Kosciuszko, NSW 

Impress your friends by saying you’ve climbed Australia’s highest mountain, 2228m Mt Kosciuszko, in Kosciuszko National Park. And if you begin from the top of Thredbo’s Kosciuszko Express chairlift, there’s no need to mention that your 13km return feat involved a mere 459m ascent.

4. Mt Feathertop, VIC

Three access tracks lead to the summit of Victoria’s second-highest peak, 1922m Mt Feathertop; the most popular is the 11km one-way, mostly sheltered Bungalow Spur approach, which climbs 1400m from Harrietville.

5. Mt Barney, QLD

South-east Queensland’s second highest mountain, the ruggedly striking Mt Barney, in Mt Barney National Park, has several routes up its two granophyre peaks. However, they’re either unmarked or barely marked and require bushwalking experience and navigational skills.

6. Walshs Pyramid, QLD

Part of a granite intrusion that underlies the Bellenden Ker Range in Queensland’s Wooroonooran National Park, 922m Walshs Pyramid is the focus of the annual Great Pyramid Race, where competitors run from nearby Gordonvale to the summit and back again.

7. Mt Ngungun, QLD

(out of shot)

Although its 2.2km return track is steep and gnarly in places, 253m Mount Ngungun’s summit gives visitors an intimate audience with other Glasshouse mountains, such as the spire-like 377m Coonowrin and pyramid-shaped 556m Mt Beerwah, shown here in the background.

8. Cradle Mountain, TAS

Close to the starting point for the 65km Overland Track and forming the northern end of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, 1545m-Cradle Mountain is a magnificently jagged, dolerite peak in Tasmania’s northwest.

9. Bishop and Clerk, TAS

Named after its two dolerite peaks, which resemble a mitre-clad bishop followed by a clergyman, 630m Bishop and Clerk isn’t the highest mountain on wildlife-resplendent Maria Island, Tasmania, but it grants the most stunning views.

10. St Marys Peak, SA

The highest point in the sublime, sun-drenched Flinders Ranges, South Australia, 1171m-high St Mary Peak offers a 360-degree panorama of saw-toothed ranges, salt lakes, and the surrounding plains.