84 Hart, Eucalypts about Creswick and Clunes. rv,^'"^xxxiv 



the two volcanic areas of the Main Divide. Its highest point 

 south-east of Creswick is over 2,000 feet above sea-level ; from 

 here it falls north and west. South of Creswick the valleys 

 are often deep and the slopes steep ; north-west of the town 

 the elevation is less and the slopes more gentle, at places 

 merging gradually into the plains. Alluvial deposits occur in 

 the vaUeys, and there arc also numerous terraces and patches 

 of older gravels, the most evident of which is the terrace on 

 which the Creswick station stands, at 1,438 feet above sea- 

 level. 



The north-west end of the Creswick bedrock area is crossed 

 by the railway about four miles from Creswick at an elevation 

 of 1,276 feet. Beyond this the next area of bedrock country 

 is at a distance of about five miles, and lies to the west of 

 Clunes. It rises little above the adjacent volcanic country, 

 and its slopes are gentle. The railway crosses its northern end 

 at an elevation of 1,066 feet. This area is sheltered from the 

 west by the granitic hills of Mount Beckworth. North-west 

 of Clunes, and separated from the last area by volcanic plains, 

 commences a considerable stretch of bedrock country. Only 

 the south end of this has come under my observation. A few 

 smaU exposures of bedrock in the valleys are not important. 



Climate. — Through the courtesy of the Commonwealth 

 Meteorological Bureau, figures have been obtained as to the 

 rainfall of several localities in the district and temperature 

 records for Clunes and Talbot. These figures may be best 

 understood by means of a comparison with Melbourne. 



The average annual rainfall at Creswick, from seventeen 

 years' observation, is 27.58 inches. This is about two inches 

 above the Melbourne average, but the seasonal distribution 

 differs. Melbourne shows its highest monthly average in 

 October, and an autumn maximum in April : Creswick, and all 

 the places for wliich there are long records in this district, show 

 the maximum in June. From October to February inclusive 

 the average monthly rainfall is less at Creswick than at ^lel- 

 bourne. Owing to the rapid evaporation and the uncertainty 

 of the summer rain, I\Ielbourne has practically a dry summer ; 

 the rain is not to be relied on : native plants must be able to do 

 without it at this season. 



W'ilson's Reservoir, just south of the Divide, on the high 

 volcanic country south-east of Creswick, has an average rainfall 

 of 31.89 inches (twenty years' records). This is at an elevation 

 of about 2,000 feet. Tlie summer rainfall is ahnost the same 

 as that at Melbourne, but the elevation hero must mitigate 

 the summer conditions. 



Average annual rainfalls of other places are as follows (the 

 number C)f years is gi\en in parentheses) : — Newlj-n Reservoir, 



