1013 



VICTORIA. 



VICTORIA. 



1011 



The hilly tract of the watershed east of the Grampians has its 

 surface diversified by numerous narrow ridges of rocks, several round 

 hills of moderate elevation, and many rather narrow valleys traversed 

 by clear and beautiful streams. In some parts the hills are covered 

 with wood ; at other places free from wood, but overgrown with grass 

 to the top. About 30 miles east of the Grampians, some more 

 elevated ridges traverse the watershed. They have been named 

 Pyrenees, but the natives call them Peerick Hills. They consist 

 wholly of granite, but are all grassy to their summits, and thinly 

 wooded. East of the Pyrenees the country is more broken and the 

 hilU are higher. There are forests chiefly composed of box and lofty 

 blue gum. A considerable portion of the hilly country, placed nearly 

 in the centre of it, consists of hills of lava, A very large portion of 

 this hilly country affords excellent pasture. 



Between the hilly region of the watershed on the south, the moun- 

 tain region of the Australian Alps on the south-east, the course of the 

 Murray on the north, and the boundary-line of South Australia on 

 the west, lie the plains of the Murray River. The Murray and its 

 tributary the Bayunga flow in wide bottoms, sometimes 8 or 1 miles 

 across, which bottoms are overgrown by high trees, partly swampy or 

 covered with lake* and ponds, but exhibiting an extraordinary degree 

 of frrtility in the vigour of their vegetation. In some places are found 

 alt-like* in considerable numbers, but in general the plains are open, 

 grassy, and beautifully diversified with serpentine lints or clumps of 

 wood. Even at * considerable distance from the banks of the rivers 

 water is not scarce, as there are numerous hollows in the plains, which 

 generally contain water. The plains of the Murray are fit both for 

 cultivation and rearing of cattle. The river Murray, rising in the 

 Australian Alps, flown in a north-westerly direction along the boundary 

 of the province, entering South Australia at 34 S. lat., after a course 

 of above 600 miles. In the lower part of it* course along the border 

 it has a channel 350 yards broad, with a depth of from 12 to 2u feet. 

 Its chief tributaries, which drain the northern division of the colony 

 are the Mitta-Mitta, Oven', Qoulburn, Campaspe, and Loddon, most of 

 which are dried up during summer and converted into chains of ponds. 

 The Mitta-Mitta rises in the Australian Alps, not far from Lake Omeo, 

 the neighbourhood of which forms ono of the gold-fields of Victoria. 

 The Loddon rises near Mount Alexander, the principal gold-field, and 

 it* feeder*, after the rainy season, are employed in the process of gold- 

 washing. The Avoca, Avon, and Wimmera flow northward from the 

 Pyrenees and Grampian chains. The Glenelg. collecting several tribu- 

 taries from the western slope* of the Grampian*, flows southward along 

 and enters South Auttnlia just before reaching the ocean. 

 The Hopkins, with its several affluents, waters the country south from 

 . renees, reaching the ocean a little to the eastward of 1'ort Fairy. 

 The Barwon, after flowing in a north-easterly direction to the neigh- 

 bourhood of Geelong, bends to the south-east, and falls into the sea 

 near the entrance of Port Phillip. The Yam-Yam, a considerable 

 stream, which washes the capital, is subject to heavy floods during 

 the rainy season. It comes in from the mountain* to the east of Mel- 

 bourne and continues in a very circuitous course to the head of Port 

 p. It is navigable to the city for small vessels and steamers of 

 light draught. The Latrobe, rising iu the Great Swamp, which is 

 1 from Western Port by a belt of land a few milei broad, inter- 

 sects the southern range of the Alps and flows eastward through Qipps- 

 land into Lake Wellington. Lake King collects the waters of the 

 Tambo, the Uiley, and the M 'Arthur, which drain the northern district 

 of Qippalaad. 



The predominating rocks in the higher masse* of the Australian 

 Alps are granite, eienite, and quartz, intermingled occasionally with 

 miea-sohiito and various other rocks of a slaty texture. Quarte, iron- 

 stone, sandstone, and clay-slate are general throughout the other hilly 

 portion* of the colony. Vein* of coal have been found on the coast 

 between Port Phillip and Cape Otway, besides traces of lead and man- 

 ganese. Rich veins of copper ore have been met with on the banks 

 of the Yarrn-Yarra. The chief mineral however is gold, the discovery 

 of which in 1851 ha* led to a remarkable increase in the wealth and 

 popul.ition of the colony. The gold is found chiefly at Ballarat, 40 

 miles X.N'.W. from Geelong; at Mount Alexander, 75 miles N.W. 

 from Melbourne; and around IjkkeOmeo, in the Australian Alps. At 

 Ballarat, where the precious metal U found extensively on the ranges 

 and flat* and in the beds of the watercourses, a section of the work- 

 ing! exhibit* the following series of strata : Red ferruginous earth 

 and gravel, streaked yellowish and red-clay, quartz gravels of moderate 

 size, large quartz pebbles and boulders with masses of ironstone set in 

 very compact clay, blue- and white-clay and pipe-clay. The gold is 

 uniformly found in the formations superior in position to the pipe- 

 clay. The richest deposits occur in the blue-clay, where the ore is for 

 the most part quite pure. It Id washed from the clay in rounded or 

 flattened grains ; sometimes it is found in fused pieces of pure motal, 

 at others incorporated with quartz pebbles, and occasionally in rolled 

 water-worn lumps called nut-gets. The number of miners' licences 

 ismied at the colony of Victoria in August 1854 amounted to 15,632; 

 and in July to 14,017. The grand total quantity of gold received at 

 the gold offices of Melbourne and Geelong, from the various gold fields 

 colony in July and August 1854 was 276,613 os. t valued at 

 .4641. The amount of fees received on account of licences in 

 the same months was 54,087/., and the amount of fees on private gold 



ind cash transmitted per escort 10,1912. The number of mining 

 icences issued in December 1854 was 8059, and the quantity of gold 

 received at Melbourne and Geelong in November aud December 1854 

 was 277,027 ox., valued at 1,108,1082. The amount of fees received 

 for licences in those two months was 43,9902., and the fees on private 

 gold and cash per escort 8141?. The quantity of gold exported from 

 Victoria in the months of November and December was 427,921 oz. 

 The quantity exported during the quarter ending the 31st of December 

 wag 510,13S oz., valued at 2,034,3762. In the early part of 1855 serious 

 riots took place at the gold-diggings of Ballarat, in consequence of the 

 miners resisting the payment of the licence fees. This led to the 

 substitution of a tax on gold exported from the colony, instead of 

 ;he licence fee for diggers. 



The climate of Victoria is comparatively milcK The mean tempera- 

 lure of summer is 65, of winter 48, of tho whole year 57. The 

 atmosphere is so dry and elastic that the heat of summer, sometimes 

 very intense, is less oppressively felt Hot winds occasionally come 

 from the north, and last from 20 to 30 hours, suddenly raising tho 

 temperature to an extreme heat, but they do not occasion great incon- 

 venience, and they are generally succeeded by a refreshing breeze 

 from the ocean. During June, July,-and August, the winter months, 

 coU and wet days frequently occur, and at rare intervals light snow 

 showers fall. In August, 1852, snow fell at Bendigo to the depth of 

 seven feet. The average fall of rain for the year is 307 inches. The 

 rapid changes of temperature, sometimes 30 degrees in 24 hours, are 

 unfavourable to consumptive patients. Dysentery and a species of 

 ophthalmia prevail to some extent in the hottest months. On the 

 whole, tiie climate is found agreeable and salubrious. The wild animals 

 found in the province are, the dingo, or native dog ; the great gray 

 kangaroo, which abounds in some districts ; the rock wallaby, or 

 badger ; kangaroo rat ; opossum ; flying squirrel ; wild cat ; bandicoot; 

 sloth, or Australian bear ; and various others. Among its birds are, 

 the bustard, or wild turkey, which on some of tho plains appear in 

 con -iderable flocks; numerous quails; many species of parrots; tho 

 lyre-birds, or Australian pheasant, which frequents the mountains 

 of Gippsland; black swans, which abound in the neighbourhood of 

 Western Port ; the emu ; magpie ; pelican ; eagle-kingfisher ; and 

 plover. Snakes are numerous. Musquitoes, locusts, and ants appear 

 in great numbers in summer, and also lizards and other reptiles. Tho 

 bays and rivers abound with fish. Codfish of a large size are found in 

 the rivers of the northern district. Shoals of herrings appear on tho 

 coast* in February and March. The most important timber-trees nre, 

 the red gum, lightwood, blackwood, pine, tea-tree, she-oak or siak, 

 honey-suckle, and iron-bark. The kangaroo apple-tree, the grass-tree, 

 and the quanduug, which forms a fine preserve, are indigenous. The 

 fruits which have been successfully cultivated are, the peach, plum, 

 quince, nectarine, apricot, pear, apple, mulberry, almond, and fig. 

 Several vineyards have been formed. Vegetables are abundant. The 

 potato, turnip, carrot, cabbage, brocoli, and radish grow to an enor- 

 mous size. Indigo and flax are indigenous. The tobacco and castor- 

 oil plant* and Indian corn grow luxuriantly. The common cereals 

 are produced in great perfection ; wheat is of the finest quality, with 

 a return of from 40 to 50 bushels an acre. 



The country around Melbourne is equal to any part of Australia for 

 the growth of wheat, Indian com, and potatoes. In all parts of tho 

 colony there are tracts of the finest arable land. But sheep-farming 

 is the principal pursuit in this province, apart from the recent mining 

 operations, and the export of wool has for some years very rapidly 

 increased. 



The settled part of the province, comprehending principally the 

 eastern and southern portions, is divided into 24 counties. Melbourne, 

 the capital, and WiUiamstown, its port, are noticed in the article 

 MKLBOURXK. In that article the revenue of the city of Melbourne 

 for laj'2 is given at 16,1612. 19*. 5<2., instead of 26,1612. 19... 5(2., which 

 is the correct amount. The second town in tho colony is Gtclong, now 

 an important shipping port, pleasantly situated on the south-western 

 shore of Port I'hillip, at the head of Coria or Geelong Bay. It is 

 re.nihirly built, well supplied with water, and is steadily advancing in 

 population and trade. Smaller vessels ascend to the town, but those 

 of greater burden discharge at Port Henry, 10 miles down the bay. 

 The increase of the town of Geelong consequent on the gold discoveries 

 is shewn by the town revenue in 1851 and 1852, which stood thus: 

 1851 27852. 4. 1<2.; 185210,6972. 16. Irf. The principal part of 

 the receipt* has been laid out in public improvements, to assist which 

 considerable grants of public money were made to the town ; more 

 recently a large amount has been borrowed by the corporation of 

 Geelong for the purpose of carrying out extensive improvements. A 

 railway to Melbourne is in course of construction. Near the mouth 

 of the Yarra, on the north-east shore of Port Phillip, are the neat 

 Tillages of St. Kilda and Brighton, which are resorted to as bathing 

 places by the citizens of Melbourne. 



The town of Portland is built near the western extremity of the 

 bay of the same name. It has a small population, but occupies a 

 considerable space, being built in streets crossing each other at right 

 angles. There are some whaling establishments in the place, and tho 

 wool and other produce of the neighbouring district are shipped at the 

 harbour, which is inconvenient and exposed. Belfat, an active and 

 thriving town, is situated on Port Fairy, some miles east from Portland 



