Amidst footage of sprawling alpine landscapes, presenter Peter Phelps talks to hiking guide Gillian Crundwell about one of Australia's most unique geological formations. The mountainous region of Thredbo is a popular tourist attraction, featuring a village, ski resort and one of the longest ski runs in the country. This clip takes a closer look at its history, which stretches back millions of years.

As the two figures hike through the rocky vistas, Crundwell's voice-over gives a clear overview of how floods, erosion and glacial activity over millennia have shaped the Snowy Mountains. The sweeping educational scope blends with Crundwell's intimate knowledge of the mountains' nooks and crannies: Phelps learns that the unique bioregion of the Australian Alps also provides the perfect habitat for animals once thought extinct.

The clip features a precious glimpse of the mountain pygmy possum, the only animal in Australia with an alpine habitat. Thought to be extinct until 1966, shots of the adorable and skittish marsupial show it to be alive and well – the climate provides the perfect diet of Bogong moths and mountain plum pine, both unique to the Australian alpine environment.