Art. XIT. — Some Features in the Geography of North- 

 Western Tasmania. 



By J. W. GREGORY, D.Sc, F.R.S., 



Professor of Geology in the University of Melbovirne. 



[With Plates XX., XXI.]. 



(Eead 9th July, 1903.) 



The recent earth movements in Tasmania are of special interest 

 to Victorian geologists, as they were probably connected with 

 the formation of Bass Strait, a problem of primary importance 

 in the geology of the Victorian coastlands. 



In a recent visit to north-western Tasmania my first impression 

 was of surprise, at seeing such clear evidence of an uplift (or to 

 use Suess's more precise term, a negative movement), of that 

 country to the height of several hundred feet. The railway from 

 Emu Bay to Zeehan, on leaving the coast, started at once to 

 climb a long slope, which proves to be the northern face of an 

 undulating plateau. On reaching the plateau at Hampshire 

 Plains, 20 miles from Burnie (altitude 1500 feet)^ there is a fine 

 view, .southward and westward, to some bold peaks that rise 

 abruptly above the general level of the country, like rocky 

 islands above the sea. The traverse across the north-western 

 corner of Tasmania to Macquarie Harbour enabled me to see 

 many of the features of this plateau, and to recognise it as a 

 member of that class of land forms which Professor W. M. Davis 

 calls an uplifted pene-plain. The surface of this pene-plain is in 

 places, as near Parrel 1 and the foot of the West Coast Range, 

 1300 feet or more above the sea; but it becomes lower to the 

 north, west and south. This pene-plain area extended, as far as 

 I could see, from the Emu Bay Railway towards the northern and 

 nortli-western coast. Inland it ends abruptly against the West 



1 For. the altitude and for facilities in examining this country, I am indebted to Mr. J. 

 Stirling:, the Manager of the Emu Ray Railway. 



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