PRliBIDENT's ADDRESS — SECTION C. 73 



After the outpouring of the older volcanic rocks in Victoria 

 a subsidence took place over a wide area occupied by the 

 older basalts to the extent probably of at least 300 feet. 



Mr. Murray remarks that " this would appear to be the 

 last important downward movement of the Victorian land, 

 which seems to have subsequently risen gradually, with a 

 few minor oscillations, to its present status." During the 

 gradual rising of the land surface volcanic eruptions took 

 place at the close of the Lower Pliocene period and during 

 the Upper Pliocene. 



W liile this elevation of the Victorian land was in progress 

 the zone of volcanic activity in that country appears to have 

 followed the southern shore-line, which was constantly 

 retreating southwards. One of the most recent of the Vic- 

 torian, and probably of Australian volcanoes, is that of 

 Tower Hill, near Warrnambool. Its comparatively recent 

 age was proved by the discovery of the complete skeleton of a 

 dingo under 63 feet of volcanic tuff of a basic character. 

 This skeleton was found reposing on the scorched grass of an 

 old land surface of Post-Tertiary age, as described by 

 Professor Selwyn. The tuffs and small basalt lava streams 

 of Mount Gambier, in South Austraha, perhaps are of 

 almost as recent age as those of Tower Hill. The author 

 has the authority of Professor Tate, of Adelaide University, 

 for saying that the volcanic rocks of Mount Gambier 

 overlie mammaliferous drifts containing remains of Dipro- 

 todon; and the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.G.S., had 

 previously shown that this volcano or group of volcanic 

 vents must obviously have been of later date than the Mount 

 Gambier limestone, the latter being of late Tertiary age, as 

 large fragments of this rock occur interbedded in the volcanic 

 tuffs of the same locality. 



A summary of the conditions which obtained in JNew 

 South Wales and Victoria during Tertiary time favours the 

 supposition that in the Eocene period the western portion of 

 New South Wales was rising, thereby driving back the 

 waters of the Cretaceous ocean towards the Gulf of Carpen- 

 taria. Near this rising coast-line there sprung up a chain of 

 volcanoes, from which were erupted the oldest basalt lavas 

 and tuffs of jNew England. While this elevation of the land 

 was in progress in New South Wales, Victoria was under- 

 going depression, and the Oligocene and portion of the 

 Miocene marine beds were laid down. Before the subsidence 

 had completely ceased, but chiefly after its cessation, and 



