Palaeozoic Geology oj Victoria. 187 



practically all the important goklfields, but little is known with re- 

 gard to it in ni-ost other regions. 



There are various questions which arise when it is made a subject 

 for careful consideration , and two of these perhaps, stand upper- 

 most — 



(1) Ihe age or geological epoch, when it was impressed upon 



the Palaeozoic formation. 



(2) The dominant factor or factors contributing to its develop- 



ment. 

 Very few opinions have been expressed concerning this subject. 



The late Dr. T. S. Hall (39) apparently associated its development 

 with the movements which led to the uplifting of the existing high- 

 lands and formation of the Main Divide. This would imply a very 

 late Kainozoic age. Its direction, however, appears to be too in- 

 consistent and variable to be associated fundamentally with a move- 

 ment which was essentially that of block movement. 



T.S. Hart (35) has discussed the question and suggests a number 

 of probable causes which are worth tabulating : — 



(1) The making and dying away of individual folds. 



(2) Local disturbances as a fault affecting a small area. 



(3) Varying intensity of folding from place to place. 



(4.) Transverse folding, simultaneous or subsequent to the main 

 folding. 



(5) Settlement of an imperfectly supported area over an invad- 



ing granite. 



(6) Subsequent tilting or transverse warping of folded blocks. 

 The above factors are all clearly competent to produce the results 



under discussion, and when it is considered that they may all have 

 repeatedly contributed towards this end through past geological his- 

 tory, it becomes a complex problem to endeavour to apply anything 

 approaching a definite statement with regard to its age and 

 origin. 



Hart, however, would apparently restrict the main period of 

 development to Palaeozoic times, and this is a viewl most consistent 

 with general tectonic considerations. It is unsafe to lay down any 

 hard and fast conclusions with regard to this feature generally; each 

 area will liave to be considered carefully in detail with due regard 

 to local and general tectonic disturbances, but one cannot help 

 being impressed with the possible favourable conditions produced 

 by the great batholithic disturbances of Devonian times, especially 

 if Daly's conception of magmatic stoping and associated down- 



