H'nihliDKU n/ Wrsfrrn Vicforia. 259 



One of the most reiiiark.ible of these meridional valleys lies 

 between Larne-Gerin ajid Mt. Buantior. To the north the Mfc. 

 Cole Creek runs down to the Wimmera. But us one stands on 

 Ben Xevis, some miles to the north of the Divide, there is an 

 uninterrupted view down the valleys of Middle Creek and Fiery 

 Creek into the south- westei'n plains. The Divide in this valley 

 needs lookinu' for. Stamdins; on Ben Nevis more than a thou- 

 sand feet above it, it sinks into insignificance. From Mt. Cole 

 lookino- south similar meridional valleys and ridges are seen on 

 the lower country The Larne-Gerin range continues south of 

 the railway line, and i^ sufficiently important to cause the road 

 and railway to run to the same low notch close up to La.rne- 

 Geriu. 



East of the Mt. Cole Ranges the same north and south 

 ridges continue, but v.ith less elevations. The road from Chate 

 to Lexton crosses a low Divide, but is flanked on either side by 

 more prominent ridges. In fact this portion of the Divide, from 

 the heads of the Glenelg to the head> of Trawalla Creek, is 

 composed of two differing constituents. It is high where it 

 crosses the meridional ridges or continues along them for some 

 dista.nce ; it is usually low where it crosses the intervening 

 valleys. A> the head of each valley is to some extent indepen- 

 dent of the next one, the Divide sometimes acquires a distinct- 

 ly angular character, most marked in the rectangular portion at 

 the head of Mt. Cole Creek. 



But a short distance to the south-east of Lexton the chara.cter 

 of the Divide changes. The old rocks disappeair, and, instead, the 

 itummit of the watershed is composed of Volcanic rocks. Out of 

 a gi'eat. area of volcaxiic rocks there sta.nd up the peaks of Mt. 

 Misery, Bolton and Beckworth, none of them actually on the 

 present Divide, but forming the highest points of a meridional 

 ridge buried by the volcanic rocks. If these rocks are supposed 

 removed we would have two more great valleys. We may call 

 the western one, from the parish name, the Ercildoun Gap, and 

 the eastern, similarly, the Ascot (iap. The latter is the lower, 

 and even with its extensive lava streams and volcanic hills 

 is still the easiest and lowest level pass across the Divide be- 

 tween Kilmore and the neighboiu'hood of Ararat. Here four 

 madn roads and two railwavs cross the Divide from Ballarat, and 



