260 T. S. Hart: 



the situation of Ballarat is at the entrance to a large area of 

 north-central Victoria just as Ararat stands at the gate of the 

 north-west. 



Further east the Divide is again composed of Ordoviciau 

 Ranges, but the meridional ridges are prominent even in them 

 in spite of the existence of the west flowing heads of the Burrum- 

 beet and Yarrowee Creeks. From west of Creswick a ridge 

 runs south to far beyond Buninyong. The complete infilling 

 of the valley on its east side by basalts has diverted waters 

 across this ridge into the Yarrowee, but this is clearly a late 

 modification. In this eastern valley the Divide is again buried 

 under basalts in what we may call the Dean Gap. The area 

 south of this is commonly known in Ballarat as the Eastern 

 Plateau. Mt. Warrenheip stands on it, but contributes veiy 

 little to it'. The plateau lavas are from the north near the 

 hills on the present Divide, and its surface falls with an un- 

 broken slope past the east side (jf Warrenheip. Further east 

 the Divide follows Ordoviciaai rocks with gradually rising levels 

 to the vicinity of Daylesford. 



I have attempted to illustrate these featui-es of the Divide 

 by the accompanying plans and sketches. On the general ])lan 

 of the Divide I have indicated some of the north and south 

 ridges. I have had to compile this from various sources. T\vo 

 early maps of Ripon Count}^ issued by the Lands Department 

 both note the absence of a distinct ridge west of Mt. Ararat. 

 One of these marks the ridge south of Larne-Gerin, and states 

 that it was noticed by Mitchell. From these maps also I have 

 obtained the position of the volcanic hills in the Ercil- 

 doun (lap. I have obtained other information from the 

 Geological maps of Ararat and of Learmonth. The view taken 

 from the summit of Mt. Buninyong shows the south ends of a 

 succession of ridges and the intervening valleys. The line of 

 sight to Larne-Gerin crosses the Divide so that the slope of that 

 hill facing tlic observer drains north by Mt. Cole Creek. 



The view from Mt. JMowhard shows the series of Volcanio 

 hills which form the Divide in the Ascot Gap. The broken 

 line round the base of each liill on the ma.p shows the aj^iroxi- 

 mate extent of the slope from that hill. The Divide is formed 

 by the coalescence of the bases of the volcanic hills, and hence 



