517 



A CORRELATION OF CONTOUR, CLIMATE AND COAL: 

 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE PHYSIOGRAPHY OF 

 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



By T. Griffith Taylor, B.Sc, B.E., Assistant Demonstrator 

 in Palaeontology and Geology, University of Sydney. 



(Plates xlv.-xlviii.) 



Recent work in connection with the Stereography and Climate 

 of New South Wales, while preparing portion of a textbook of 

 physical geography for this State, has brought into prominence 

 many interdependent physiographical problems. 



The following is a dictum which I shall endeavour to substan- 

 tiate in the sequel : The Hunter River district is an example of 

 equilibrium in the distribution of natural resources, in that the 

 large extent and value of the coal-supply are counterbalanced by 

 a rainfall much below the general average for that latitude; and. 

 these statements, though apparently unconnected, are correlated, 

 the relatively low rainfall being indirectly due to the presence of 

 the Permo-C arboniferous Coal Measures. 



If the stereogram* (or relief map) of New South Wales be 

 examined, it is seen {vide Plate xlvi.) that the Main Divide is con- 

 stituted of three well defined land masses separated by cols on a 

 gigantic scale. For these the term Geocol is suggested (analogous 

 to Geosyncline) to differentiate these important positive land 

 forms from the ordinary col between two hills. 



In fig.l. three contours, namely, those of sea-level, 1500 and 

 3000 feet respectively, are indicated. Their distribution gives 



*Such a model measuring 6'x5' was constructed during 1905 at the 

 University by direction of Professor David, and exhibited before the Society 

 in November, 1905. 



