Geological Society. 



473 



sea-entrance being usually narrow and blocked up with drifted sand, 

 are by the colonists termed " Lakes." Awaaba is called Lake Mac- 

 quarrie, and is the largest of the inlets of that description between 

 Port Stephen and Broken Bay. Its sea-entrance lies fourteen miles 

 to the south of the mouth of the Hunter river, nearly in 33° south 

 latitude. 



This inlet occupies a portion of that formation of conglomerate 

 and sandstone, with subordinate beds of lignite, which extends from 

 the Hunter river southwards towards Brisbane Water. The lignite 

 constitutes the so-called Australian coal. This formation, owing to 

 its beds along the shores of the inlet being placed horizontally, and 

 being divided by nearly vertical joints, gives rise to regular lines of 

 coast, both in a longitudinal and transverse direction. It forms 

 along the coast a high range, which, except at the entrance, divides 

 the lake from the sea. Within the lake a series of extensive bays, 

 bounded to the water's edge by steep cliffs, run out like fingers, 

 far up into the country. The water of the inlet is for the most 

 part very deep. 



On the western side of the lake, and nearly opposite its sea- 

 entrance, a promontory, bounded on either side by a bay, is formed 

 by the Tirabeenba mountain, which stretches from the S.E. to the 

 N.W,, and in the latter direction ends abruptly in a lofty but not 

 very precipitous escarpment : this sudden termination is occasioned 

 by a fault. This mountain range then turns to the W., and after- 

 wards to the S.W. ; between it and the next range a wide valley 

 intervenes. 



Ann, ^ Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xii. Suppl 2 K 



