The uplift history of the southeastern highlands is determined using middle to late Cainozoic river beds; these are preserved as river gravels overlain by basaltic lavas. Along major rivers in the highlands old river beds have a reasonably constant slope; this slope is similar to that of the present river bed, and similar to a line joining the summits along the valley margin. The approximately parallel relation suggests that the beds of most major rivers remained at a constant height and slope while the highland was uplifted. The relative heights of the river beds of different ages are consistent with uplift at a constant rate during the last 45 m.y. The present level of the pre‐uplift river beds is thought to be just above the present valley margins, so if there was only one uplift and if that was at a constant rate then uplift started about 90 m.y. ago.