Which continent's mainland has no glaciers?

Australia is the continent whose mainland has no glaciers. Its highest mountains are not tall or cold enough to sustain permanent modern glaciers, although glaciers existed in parts of Australia during past ice ages.

Mainland Australia does contain snowfields that may persist temporarily, especially in the Australian Alps, but seasonal snow is not the same as a glacier. A glacier requires lasting accumulation of snow and ice, followed by enough thickness for the ice to flow under gravity. Tasmania and the mainland Alps currently lack permanent icefields as well.

The wording “mainland” matters. Australia is associated with subantarctic islands, including Heard Island, where glaciers exist around the volcanic peak of Big Ben. Those glaciers are not on the Australian continental mainland. Nearby New Zealand, part of the broader region of Oceania, has many glaciers in its Southern Alps.

Australia's lack of glaciers is sometimes confused with Africa's situation. Africa has only a few small, shrinking glaciers, including those on Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, and the Rwenzori Mountains. Their presence means Africa cannot be the answer, even though its glaciers are limited and rapidly declining.