jgj^'l Excursion to Wevribee Gorge. 135 



EXCURSION TO WERRIBEE GORGE. 



On Cup morn, 4th November, 1913, a party of nineteen in all 

 assembled at the Bacchus Marsh railway station to take part 

 in this excursion. There was a biting wind, but the weather 

 promised to be fair. After the usual delays the party were 

 seated in the vehicles provided, and a pleasant drive of about 

 five miles brought us to a point well on the track from the 

 Ballarat Road to the Gorge. It had been intended that the 

 whole party should re-assemble at the Upper Shelter-shed, 

 w^hen the plans for the day would be finally settled. A few 

 maps had been distributed, and the leader's cab left first ; but, 

 stopping to pick up the milk, it was overtaken by the second 

 vehicle, which made such good progress that its passengers 

 were discharged some minutes in advance of the other. These 

 proceeded towards the rest-house, examining the new cutting 

 on the way ; but, instead of keeping to the left, they took one 

 of the tracks to the right which lead down to the river. 

 About this time it was discovered that, b}^ some law of mutual 

 attraction, ah the map-holders had entered the other vehicle. 

 The further adventures of this mapless party are described 

 later. The second load of excursionists in due course reached 

 the shelter-shed, and, while some proceeded to " Picnic 

 Point " in search of the wanderers, others boiled the billy. 

 Early rising and the sharp air gave everyone a good appetite 

 for the very early lunch. Ere it was finished advancing rain 

 caused a flight from the open to the shelter-shed. Then it 

 hailed. Then it snowed — really, truly snow, with dancing feathery 

 flakes that gave a Christmas-card appearance to those who 

 stood out in it. In fact, it was the snow which largely atoned 

 for the weather-clerk's error in not sending a summer day. On 

 account of this the main party were snow-bound at the shed 

 until half-])ast one. Leaving a note for the others, this party 

 then proceeded leisurely to '' Full View Point," which rises 

 750 feet above the river. A halt was made to admire the 

 scenery and to remark on what could be seen. Along the 

 cliffs opposite runs a very straight, occasionally broken, scar 

 — not quite horizontal, but dipping slightly in the direction of 

 the river's flow. Possibly the result of river action in ages 

 past, it attracted some attention, and, being examined with a 

 glass, a bird was observed sheltering within. This creature, 

 which in colour and attitude strongly reminded one of a dis- 

 consolate sparrow, was probably a Winking Owl, Ninox 

 connivens. Some of the headlands show very conspicuous 

 white marks. One at least of these is partly due to an un- 

 weathered exposure of rock ; others may be due to bird 

 droppings, but the evidence available was not sufficient to 

 settle the question. The lower rest-house was reached a little 



