[Pboc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, 31 (N.S.), Part I., 1918]. 



Art, VUI. — On the Age of the Bairnsdale Gravels; tvith a 

 note on the included Fossil Wood, 



By FREDERICK CHAPMAN, A.L.S., <fec. 

 (PMlcieontologist, National Museum, Melbourne). 



(With Plate X., and 1 text figure). 



[Retid June I3th, 1918]. 



Occurrence. 



The uplifted coastal plain, which extends from the hill-ranges 

 of South Gippsland on the west to Cape Howe on the east, is- 

 covered with a sheet of coarse gravel and sand, in which are fre- 

 quently found silicified tree-trunks with their structure excellently 

 preserved. 



Some two or three years ago, whilst travelling from Bairnsdale 

 to Orbost by the new raihvay line then in course of construction, 

 I was impressed Avith the enormous extent of these gravel beds 

 which were met with along the greater part of the country 

 traversed. On examination, tlie gravels were found to contain 

 many kinds of hard rock, both quartzitic and igneous, undoubtedly 

 derived from the high lands to the nortli. Dr. T. S. Hall has 

 remarked upon this gi'avel sheet, in its occurrence in the western 

 area, as follows :■ — ^ 



" A striking feature of the Tertiary plateau to the north of the 

 lakes is the presence of a great sheet of gravel and sand which 

 covers the district, as seen on the railway line from Flynn's Creek 

 to Bairnsdale. West of Sale sands predominate, but from Sale to 

 Stratford coarse gravels are common, and the same may be said of 

 the country from there to Bairnsdale. The same gravel plateau, 

 deeply trenched by streams, extends along the Buchan road, with 

 but a slight intermission, as far as Stony Creek. The rocks com- 

 posing the deposit vary considerably, in places rounded quartz 

 predominates, but in others quartzites and ferruginous hardened 

 sandstones are very common. Tliey evidently represent a waste 

 sheet from the mountains to the north." 



In a traverse from Bairnsdale to Neumerella I noticed these 

 torrent gravels usually rested on, or passed into, fine sand; more- 



1 Some Notes on the Gip]island Lakes. Vict. Nat., vol. xxxi., June, 1914, p. 33. 



