258 T. S. Hart : 



it may also be a fault line, noi-th of which the glacial beds are 

 lost by denudation. 



Before considering the history of the elevation and dii-section 

 of the peneplain, we may look further at the present condition 

 of the highlands. 



On the whole the valleys run to north and south, though 

 there are some peculiar exceptions, especially in the head waters 

 of the Loddon and the Wimmera,, and the course of the water 

 from the north of Ballarat to the Hopkins. Going westward 

 from Ballarat by rail it is apparent that the present surfa<?e 

 is occupied by a number of north and south ridges and inter- 

 vening valleys, and a wider acquaintance with the district not 

 only confirms this view, but shows that the north flowing and 

 the south flowing- stream ait places seem to occupy the two ends 

 of one great valley. 



Taking them in order from the west there is a great valley 

 between the Grampians and the Mt. Ararat Kaaige. This drains 

 north by the Little Wimmera* or Mt. William Creek and south 

 into the Hopkins ; there is no perceptible Divide for some dis- 

 tance in the floor of the valley. On the map the county boundary 

 takes a straight line from the spur of Mt. William tO' a spur 

 of Mt. Ararat. This is not part of the line marked as the 

 Great Dividing Range ; it stops on the spur from Mt. Ararat. 

 The Mt. Ararat Range runs nea.rly north and south and is con- 

 tinuous (with a slight irregularity' in its line) with the Black 

 Range south of Stawell. West of thiis range is a,nother valley. 

 The railway rises up its south end, crosses to the north fall at 

 an elevation of 1070 feet above sea level, amd follows down the 

 T alley of the ConcongcUa Creek to Stawell. In view of the 

 barrier presented by the long Mt. Ararat range on the west, this 

 will probably long remain the chief entrance to north-western 

 Victoria. 



By the next valley the Ararat-Avoca railway pa>ses to the 

 north of tlie Divide, crossing it in a gap at an elevation of 1104 

 feet; it thus enters the valley of the Upper Wimmera, and 

 follows it up eastward through the I'yrenees to Mt. Direction, 

 where by another pass at an elevaticm of 1:214 feet it enters tlie 

 Glenlo<>-io vallov and thence to the Avoca. 



