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'rich dressing for the poorer soils. The recent alluvial soil deposited by the 
Mitchell River at Broadlands and along the course of the delta is very 
fertile, but the clearing of the timber and vegetation along the margins of 
the river is likely to cause serious expense in the future, as already the 
banks are being eroded where the vegetation has been removed. It is 
essential to Bairnsdale that nothing should impede the navigation of the 
river channel, and the best way to keep it open is to protect the banks by 
vegetation. 
Among the most interesting features in the recent geology of the State 
is the formation of deltas by the Gippsland rivers that enter the lakes of 
East Gippsland, and the delta formed by the Mitchell River is distinctly the 
most striking example. At one period this river entered a lake that 
extended to where Bairnsdale now stands but by depositing its burden of 
silt it greatly reduced the area of the lake. -McLeod’s Morass is a portion 
of the lake which has been silted up and nearly converted into dry land, 
and a little artificial help would complete the work. The river has built 
banks for itself right out in the lake to where it impinged upon Eagle 
Point and was diverted in an easterly direction. The conversion of the 
lake into dry land is still going on. Where the river actually joins the lake 
there are wide shallow-s that are yearly becoming still more shallow, and 
every gradation may be seen from shallow silt banks entirely under w r ater, 
mud banks partially exposed, and so on, to dry land. It is merely a matter 
of time when Jones’ Bay will be entirely silted up with material brought 
down by the Mitchell River. The former extent of the lake may be Laced 
out by the escarpment of Teritary beds. The processes now at work by which 
the Gippsland shore line is steadily advancing seaward explain the means 
by which the whole Tertiary area extending from the base of the hills 
seaward has been formed. The rate at which this encroachment of the land 
on the sea has progressed has been continually diminishing, because the 
inclination of the beds of the streams from this source to their mounths 
has been continually lessening as the length increased, and, therefore, the 
work done by water is not so great as in former periods when the beds of 
the streams were more highly inclined. 
Swan Reach is 14 miles from Bairnsdale and 800 feet above sea-level; 
the country between consists of rocks of Tertiary age. Mundic Creek is 
13 miles from Swan Reach. The country rock here is black slate and 
granitic dykes. The height is 1,000 feet above sea-level. 
Nowa Nowa is but a few feet above sea-level. The country rocks have 
a Heathcotian aspect and much red jasper shews in the gravel of the 
river. 
Hospital Creek is 6 miles from Nowa Nowa and is about 50 feet above 
sea-level. Between are Tertiary beds. The limestones are w r ell shown along 
the banks of Hospital Creek, and there are abundant marine fossils such as 
huge valves of Ostrea , Pecten, &c., &c. 
From Hospital Creek to Orbost the road lies over Tertiary beds and 
there is a steep descent from these down to the alluvial flats on the banks 
of the Snowy River. This stream rises in New South Wales 
and drains a very extensive area before it enters Victoria. For 
most of its length in this State it flows through a rockv gorge, 
and at this season of the year (April) at Mt. Deddick the 
stream could be almost stepped across. In the rainy season 
it sends down an enormous body of water. Where the river enters the 
Tertiary plains its whole character alters. It becomes more tortuous, and 
wide flats of amazingly rich soil flank its course. In flood time these flats 
-.are coated with fresh deposits of silt of a most fertile character gathered 
