403 
of Port Phillip , N. S. Wales . 
Phillip district differs widely in geological and physical features 
from the general character of the Australian territory. This vast 
domain of the British crown has usually been proverbial rather 
for extent of area than productiveness of soil—for geographical 
and geological, rather than economical treasures. A dry and 
light description of soil, derived from sandstone and granite, ex¬ 
tensively prevails, varied by tracts of sandy desert; and the large 
proportion of this inferior country, notwithstanding the inter- 
spersion of rich and productive lands, gives an unfavorable average 
for the entire territory, a defect which is sensibly enhanced by the 
want of water conveyance to the interior, arising from the square 
uniformity of the coast outline, and the shallowness or devious 
courses of the rivers. 
The north-western part of the Port Phillip district, partakes of 
this general character. The rich black and brown soils that over- 
• spread the country between Geelong and the Glenelg, disappear 
towards the Grampians and the Loddon, where the soil, based 
chiefly on granite, becomes more dry and shallow, the country 
being occasionally interspersed with tracts of sand and scrub. 
The richer soils alluded to are immediately distinguished by a 
change in the character of the rocks and stones with which they 
are connected, from those of sandstone and granite which usually 
form the foundation of the Australian soil. To the northward 
and westward of Melbourne and Geelong, the surface of the 
country has been, for thousands of square miles, almost uninter¬ 
ruptedly overlaid with a trap formation, which frequently pro¬ 
trudes from beneath the soil in tumuli of various form and height, 
and is usually attended by a rich and productive soil, plentifully 
covered with grass. The presence of numerous extinct volcanos, 
many of which have curious and well marked ciateis, give to this 
latter description of country an interesting geological character ; 
and this interest is enhanced by the addition o( two other pheno¬ 
mena, the salt lakes, and the “ stony rises,” or extensive congre¬ 
gated ridges and hillocks of rocks, which are spread over certain 
localities. Both of these features will be afterwards more minutely 
described. 
This extensive corering of trap is frequently exposed in section 
