CHAPTER XVII. 



HISTORY OF VICTORIAN STATE COAL MINES. 

 By Geo. H. Broome (General Manager). 



The Mines are situated about 86 miles south-east from 

 Melbourne, and three miles from Cape Paterson in what is 

 known as the Powlett basin. 



In Victoria black coal has, so far, only been found in rocks 

 of Jurassic age. These rocks are usually some thousands of 

 feet in thickness, and although a number of deep bores have 

 been put down, it is only in the neighbourhood of AVonthaggi 

 that the underlying rock has been reached. 



Although the Jurassic rocks extend over an area of about 

 5500 square miles, of which about 2200 square miles are 

 exposed at the surface, nearly all the localities where payable 

 black coal occurs may be found in an area about 50 miles long 

 by about 10 miles wide, running north-easterly from the 

 mouth of the Powlett River to Moe. 



At the south-eastern end of this area is situated the 

 Powlett Basin and in it the State Mine Reservation, which 

 consists of an area of approximately 15 square miles in the 

 parish of AVonthaggi, while adjoining it on the east is the 

 Kirrak Basin, which is at present withheld from mining 

 Leases. 



On the State Mine Reservation about 22,000,000 tons of 

 payable coal have already been proved to exist in seams ranging 

 from 2ft. 6in. to 10ft. in thickness, and boring is still in pro- 

 gress to ascertain the extent of the field. 



The Jurassic rocks consist of sandstones, mudstone and 

 false bedded sandy shales, leaf impressions being abundant 

 and marine fossils entirely absent. 



The coal,, which is usually laminated, always rests on a 

 mudstone floor. 



