PHYSIOGRAPHY OF SOUTH GIPPSLAN'D. 453 



Strzelecki Range ; the Lang Lang and Bass, on the west, also 

 draining the same range aud entering Western Port Bay ; the 

 Powlett, on the south entering Bass Strait ; the Tarwiu entering 

 Anderson's Inlet, and having, next to the Latrobe, the largest 

 drainage area ; and such minor streams as Stockyard Creek, 

 Franklin and Agnes Rivers entering Corner Inlet ; the Albert 

 and Tara entering Port Albert harbor ; and Merriman's Creek 

 entering the Southern Ocean : the latter streams draining the 

 Hoddle Range on the south-east and east. 



If we follow first the main watershed line smith of the Latrobe — 

 known as the Strzelecki Range — along its course, then the Gipps- 

 land railway lines, and finally the coastline, a pretty clear idea will 

 have been gained of the leading topographic and scenic features. 



Strzelecki Range 



commences at the coastline at Griffith's Point, which forms the 

 peninsula separating the waters of Western Port from Bass 

 Straits, and also the passage to the former. A low undulating 

 peninsula extends for several miles, with cliffs of from 50ft. to L30ft. 

 on the seaward side, and gradually slopes tow^ards Western Port 

 on its northern side to Kilcunda. Here the spurs rise quickly to 

 an elevation of 1,200ft. to the Blue Mountain Range, which forms 

 the watershed line between tlie Powlett on the east and the Bass 

 on the west; the slopes towards the Bass being steejD, and those 

 towards the Powlett more gradual. From the summit of the Bass 

 Hill a grand view is obtained looking along the coast and to the 

 north-west and north-east. Away to the west stretch the mangrove 

 f Avicennia tomentosaj and titree f MelaUuou ericifolia) covering 

 the Bass flats and estuary. In the middle distance rise French and 

 Phillip Islands and, plainly discernible, tw^o important historical 

 headlands, viz. : — Settlement Point, where Bass landed in 1798, and 

 Elizabeth Island, off Phillip Island, where Grant planted a garden 

 in March. 1801 ; and away in dim outline rise the ranges between 

 Western Port and Port Phillip. To the north-west the valley of 

 the Bass is seen to rise in the dense forest-clad regions. Along the 

 western slope of the Strzelecki Range is seen a low watershed line of 

 heathy sandhills, separating it from the Lang Lang Valley ; beyond 

 that extends a long bleak stretch of dismal swamp land, known as 

 the Koo-wee-rup, which seems to be lost in the distant haze, where 

 its feeders, the Tarago and King Parrot Creek, and other streams 

 enter it from the Gembrook Range. To the south rises Cape 

 Woolamai, a bold granitic headland at the entrance to Western 

 Port, forming an arrow-head like extension of Phillip Island. 

 Away to the west, to the extreme south of Phillip Island, stand 

 out in bold relief the Pyramid Rock and Nobbies, where sportive 

 fur seals (Eutoria cinereaj flapper up the rocks from out the 

 crested waves. To the east and south-east the Powlett Valley has 



