66 COALFIELDS AND COLLIERIES OF AUSTRALIA. 



holes that have been put down in the Mesozoic areas there. 

 Coal mining has been confined to South Gippsland, the total 

 output from which to the end of 1909 amounted to 3,054,987 

 tons, valued at 1,689,755. The output of coal for 1909 was 

 128,173 tons, valued at the pit's mouth at 76,870, or 12/- per 

 ton. The principal mines, arranged in order of their pro- 

 duction, are the Jumbunna Coal Mine, Outtrirn, Howitt and 

 British, Austral Coal, State Coal Mine, and Coal Creek Pro- 

 prietary. 



The Victorian coal measures are generally much faulted 

 and subject to many variations of direction and rate of dip. 

 The coal seams are small, with the exception of the Mirboo 

 seam, which is about 56in. thick. The quality of Victorian 

 coal is not equal to that of the average New South Wales coal ; 

 it also breaks up more readily, causing greater loss in carriage. 

 The Victorian railways are the principal consumers of local 

 coal. 



Victoria is rich in Tertiary brown coals and lignites. Jas. 

 Stirling * states that at one locality, Mary vale, near Morwell, 

 a diamond drill bore, carried to a depth of 1010ft., passed 

 through seven beds of brown coal, three of which were 265ft. 

 6in., 227ft. lOin., and 166ft. lin. respectively. Two miles 

 south of Darnum 33ft. of brown coal was cut in a shaft at 

 60ft. from the surface. At Tarragon, several seams were cut 

 from 1ft. to 67ft. At Langridge Gully there is a seam 15ft. 

 thick; while at Narracaii Creek Valley there is one 20ft. thick. 

 The Ferngrove seam is 40ft. thick. Between Moe and Morwell 

 there are seams 20, 53, 97 and 200 feet thick. At Hazelwood 

 there are seams 7, 10, 21 and 37 feet thick; while at Boolara 

 there is one 162ft. thick. Other deposits of brown coal, or 

 lignite, are known at Darliinurla, Tyers River, Toongabbie, 

 Thomson and Avon River Valleys, Calignee, Carrajung, Won 

 Wron, Mount Look-out near Bairnsdale, Bass River Valley 

 near Westernport, Port Phillip Bay (Mornington, Newport, 

 Altona Bay), Werribee River, Lai Lai, up to 82ft. thick, and 

 Dean's Marsh. 



The following are analyses of some of these coals : 



Volatile Fixed 

 Locality. Water. Matter. Carbon. Ash. 



Yerragon 40.35 20.85 26.60 12.20 



Ferngrove 24.54 35.11 34.55 5.80 



Great Morwell Co 28.00 30.17 36.95 4.87 



Mary vale, near Morwell, 



average of 32 samples 22.08 34.66 40.18 2.79 



*Report on the Brown Coals and Lignites of Victoria. 

 (Geol. Survey of Victoria. Progress Report, No. X., p. 73 

 [1899].) 



