Physiography of Werrihee Area. 179 



j)hysiographic features; while an added interest to the whole area 

 lies in the fact that several well-defined faults traverse the country 

 and greatly influence the topography. The existence of certain of 

 these faults will be demonstrated in this paper, and their great im- 

 portance in the history and economy of the Werribee area, as well 

 as their probable relationship to the general physiography of the 

 State, will be dealt with. 



The main part of the paper is of course occupied by a detailed 

 description of each river, hill, and plain, as observed in the field. 

 The structure and origin of each feature is considered. The 

 *' buried rivers" also provide material for a separate section, and 

 the pre-basaltic drainage system has been partly reconstructed. 

 The progressive physiography is then summed up in a *' chrono- 

 logical column." 



Research into the origin of the name of the river has revealed 

 so much of interest in its varying nomenclature that it has been 

 thoughts advisable to include mention of same, and this in turn in- 

 volves some considerations as to early history and settlement. 

 Finally, an effort has been made to correlate the present occupation 

 of this area by man with the structural features and formations. 

 In this section the various towns and villages in the Werribee area 

 are considered in relation to their geographical situation. The 

 influence of the main topographical features on roads, railways, 

 water supply, etc., is also discussed. 



III. — Previous Literature, Acknowledgements, etc. 



While there has been little previous work done on the actual 

 physiography of the Werribee or any part thereof, an enormous 

 amount of material, geological and otherwise, has been published 

 which has various bearings on same, and this has been utilised to 

 the fullest extent possible. 



(a.) Professor Skeats' University Geological Survey Party, 1915, 

 which worked in connection with the Mines Department, devoted its 

 time to the Blackwood parish, and especially to the neighbourhood 

 of Greendale, in this area. The writer contributed a small paper 

 on the physiography of the same, embracing the opinions of the 

 party on the important " Greendale fault " ; this has not been pub- 

 lished, and has been, with the permission of Professor Skeats, 

 largely embodied in this paper. 



(b). The Lands Department courteously supplied copies of the 

 numerous parish and county plans of the area, and these wei-e 



13a 



