Mem. Nat. Mus, Vict,, 15, 1947 



A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE BIOLOGY AND 

 E< IOLOGY OF THE SNOWY U\ V ER ARLA IN NORTH- 

 EASTERN VICTORIA. 



(Plates 11-13). 



This report deals with a primary visit to the area, provides a 

 generalized description of the country, and lists the plants and 

 animals collected. 



The Snowy River and its tributaries between Buchan and the 

 Victoria-New South Wales border traverse much country which 

 is unpopulated and remains in its virgin state. It is steeply 

 mountainous, consisting of an unbroken series of ranges and 

 valleys which support a varied flora, and which extend north- 

 wards towards Ml. Kosciusko in New South Wales. With the 

 exception of the Snowy River itself, no ground survey of the 

 country has ever been made, and H is almost unknown biologically. 



These conditions alone make the area a desirable one for an 

 ecological study, hut there is also another consideration. There 

 is a proposal by Governmental bodies to divert the water of the 

 Snowy River for use in the generation of hydro-electric power 

 and for irrigation. This may have some repercussion on the bio- 

 logical balance of the area below the diversion, and could, in the 

 future, form the subject for an interesting comparison. 



The above facts outline the reasons for the investigation by the 

 National Museum of Victoria. 



Museum personnel on the primary visit consisted of C. W. 

 Brazenor (Mammalogist), J. II. Macpherson (Conehologist), S. 

 G. Whincup (Mineralogist), and R. Boswell (Prcparator). 



A cam]) on the Snowy River, planned from the very meagre 

 maps and information available before the trip, proved to be 

 impractical when the area was reached. Headquarters was there- 

 fore established near Gelantipy, and two- or three-day excursions 

 were made from there. In this manner the party visited the 

 Snowy River, at Campbell's Nob and at its junction with the 

 Deddiek River, the Suggan Buggan River, the Little River and 

 Wombargo ('reek, the Murrindal River gorge, and high country 

 between the source of the Buchan River and Wombargo Creek. 

 From observations made during these excursions, the following 

 sketch of the area may be made. 



The country rock of the area is mainly Snowy River porphyry. 

 Under this heading is included varied rock types, a number of 



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