in South- Western Victoria. 227 



Such is the case at Nelson Bay, where a section of the 

 strata is exposed more than 100 feet in thickness, the whole 

 internal structure of the dunes being laid bare. The dip is 

 quaquaversal, and the face of the cliffs presents precisely the 

 appearance that might be expected from a perpendicular cut 

 through a series of hardened sand dunes. At the top the 

 actual rounded outlines of the original dunes are distinctly 

 shown toward the landward side, while the seaward portions 

 have been carried away by the action of the waves and spray. 

 At Cape Grant, a little farther east, and on the western side 

 of Cape Bridgewater^ the coast features are exactly similar — 

 viz., ridges rounded on one side, but abruptly terminated on 

 the other by steep cliffs, the inclination of the beds also 

 continually changing. 



On the peninsula joining Cape Bridgewater to the main- 

 land a still more instructive section of the strata may be 

 observed. Just on the rising ground facing the Bay a land- 

 slip has occurred, by which a consolidated sand dune has 

 been cleft from top to bottom, the two portions being now 

 separated by a wide chasm. The rocks on both sides are very 

 hard, and from weathering, their laminated structure is well 

 illustrated, the edges standing out prominently in thin flags. 

 Their ever-changing dip is, however, the most interesting 

 feature, as, besides being typical of the formation generally, 

 it permits us in this case to trace the former junction of the 

 two masses, for although the dip is so various on either face, 

 ranging from 30 degs. to deg., yet at exactly opposite parts 

 of each it is the same. The prevailing slope where the break 

 has taken place is towards the severed portion — that is, sea- 

 ward, and to the undermining action of the waves must, no 

 doubt, be attributed the subsidence of such an immense mass 

 of material. It is probable that, in the course of time, the 

 whole of it will yet be removed, leaving then only the upper 

 face as a cliff immediately overhanging the sea. With such 

 an example before us, it is not difficult to account for the 

 sharply-cut cliffs at Nelson Bay and other places on the 

 coast. The fractured sand dune at Cape Bridgewater has 

 been appropriately named " The Cloven Rock," and it is 

 pointed out to visitors as one of the natural wonders of this 

 favourite summer resort. 



The dunes amongst which these bold cliffs occur have 

 existed for some time, as their tops are now clothed with 

 verdure; but if those more recent and still barren mounds 

 on the sea-beach are examined, it becomes apparent that 



q2 



