McMillan’s Straits to the mouth of the Mitchell is about 
three miles. Following up the Mitchell for four miles, 
we arrived at a bluff known as Eagle Point, where we 
landed in order to make barometrical observations, to 
examine the strata, and to obtain, if possible, a view of 
the mountains. 
From Eagle Point to Bairnsdale the distance is six 
miles. The river varies in width from two chains and a 
half to three chains, and the water is clear and bright. 
At Bairnsdale we landed on the same rocks that border 
the lakes on the west, north, and east. On the south the 
waters of the lakes are separated from the sea by low 
mud flats and sand-dunes, that are not, however, altogether 
unproductive, and in some parts present features far from 
uninteresting. At the entrance to the lakes some lands 
are occupied, principally, as we were informed, for marine 
residences. 
The Gippslaud lakes, as geographical features, are full 
of interest. Occupying extensive but shallow depressions 
in the great extent of level tertiary country which has its 
limits on the north as far as Kangaroo Creek, a tributary 
of the River Mitchell, on the west in the tributaries of the 
La Trobe, and on the east, at Ram Head, these waters may 
be regarded as similar to the pools that are left in the 
sands when the tide has receded. The laws which 
govern the flux and re-flux of tides do not, however, 
govern these. The waters have not diminished nor 
drawn back. The land has risen, and because of the rise 
of the land there are phenomena presented which the 
geologist may study 'with advantage. 
The lakes are being gradually filled with mud and 
sediment ; and every year, with the advance of settlement, 
the work of filling up will pi’oceed more rapidly. 
