OFF THE VICTORIAN COAST. 



TOPOGRAPHY OF VICTORIA. 



THE COAST-LINE. 



ELATIVELY to the area of the colony its coast-line is somewhat extended, owing 

 to such spacious indentations as Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and Corner Inlet; 

 as also to the southward trend of the land at the two points known as Cape Otway 

 and Wilson's Promontory. Roughly speaking, there are about six hundred miles of sea- 

 margin between Cape Howe at the eastern, and Mount Ruskin at the western, extremity 

 of the Victorian Coast. Starting from the boundary line between the colony of New 

 South Wales and the most easterly of the counties into which its offspring has been 

 divided, the first object which meets the eye is the rocky island of Gabo, composed of 

 porphyritic granite, upon which a light-house has been erected, standing about one 

 hundred and eighty feet above the sea-level. It is therefore sighted by vessels passing 

 southward before reaching Cape Howe, and by those proceeding northward as soon as 

 they are abreast of Ram Head. At the point where the submarine cable from the 

 light-house touches the shore, the coast-line is crescent-shaped, its southern horn resting 

 on Little Ram Head. Here some bold cliffs, flanking the ocean, attain an altitude of 

 nearly two hundred feet, and sweep round to Bastion Point, situated in the centre of 

 the crescent, whence they decline in height to sixty-three feet. Close by is Mallacoota 

 Inlet, a narrow neck of water which gives admission to the Purgagoolah Lakes, 

 embosomed in wooded hills, and receiving the whole of the discharge of the Wallaga- 

 raugh and Genoa Rivers. Both of these take their rise in New South Wales, 

 the Genoa flowing down in a south-easterly direction between two mountain ranges, 

 which help to augment its volume by their water-shed. After rounding Ram Head, 



