70 
from the black volcanic soil of Monaro, New South Wales. So much of 
this silt is being let down that I have been informed that, during the last 
30 years, two sets of fences on the same line have been covered at Orbost, 
and the third fence is now erected. Nothing could exceed the productive¬ 
ness of this soil, and maize is said to yield up to 140 bushels per acre. 
Since the marine Tertiary deposits were formed the Gippsland coast has 
been steadily rising. Orbost is only about 50 feet above sea-level. Right 
in the town is an inlier of Ordovician slate. In the cutting of the road 
leading down to the river from the west side, the marine limestone with 
fossils is exposed, and there are thick beds of gravel. At 5J miles north of 
Orbost and 300 feet above sea-level Tertiary rocks are present. At 7 miles 
from Orbost, Ordovician slate and sandstones are met with at 500 feet above 
sea-level. At 11 miles the height is 1,000 feet. These rocks continue to 
Granite Creek 3 miles south of Sardine Creek where it joins the Brodribb 
River. The granitic rock is a line grained grano-diorite and it extends 
westwaru as a narrow belt 1 mile wide for 5 miles. The height at Granite 
Creek is 450 feet above sea-level. Sardine Creek, 19 \ miles from Orbost, 
is 300 feet above sea-level. The rocks are slate and sandstone (Heath- 
cotian ?). The strike is W. 25 deg. N., dip N.E. Jansen’s is 30 miles 
from Orbost, 900 feet above sea-level. The rocks are slate and sandstone 
(Ordovician). From Jansen’s to Goonegerah (Reid’s) on Brodribb River 
is 10 miles; there is grano-diorite with dykes the whole way. The height 
is 600 feet above sea-level. Mt. Ellery is south-east from Goonegerah and 
also appears to be grano-diorite. There is a remarkable rock perched on top. 
In Mt. Ellery Creek, 3 miles S.S.E. from Goonegerah, alluvial gold was 
worked for some distance. The gold was. patchy but of excellent quality. 
Wirelan's reef was also worked on a tract of Ordovician slate and sand¬ 
stone between Alt. Ellerv Creek and the Brodribb River. A ten-head 
j 
battery driven by water power was erected to work the reef but it has since 
been removed. The quartz is said to have yielded up to- 8 dwts. of gold 
per ton. This tract of country requires further prospecting. At Goone¬ 
gerah the country rock is grano-diorite. Three miles from Goonegerah 
grano-diorite rock is present (height 1,000 feet above sea-level), and this 
continues to the foot of Little Bill (1,200 feet), 6 miles from Goonegerah. 
The top of Little Bill, 2,500 feet above sea-level, is still grano-diorite. 
From the top of Little Bill to Bonang (2,000 feet above sea-level), the rock 
is altered Ordovician slate and sandstone. 
Eastward from Bonang the country is Ordovician with a belt of grano- 
diorite about half a mile to< the east. On leaving Clancy’s, Bonang, for 
Bendoc, sandstone and slate underlain by grano-diorite are first met with, 
and near the junction of the two rocks some quartz specimens rich in gold 
were found a quarter of a mile south of the creek, but although diligently 
searched for, the quartz vein was not discovered. The road turns eastward 
towards Bendoc and the grano-diorite is crossed for about 2 miles (height 
2,700 feet above sea-level). Ordovician rocks are there met with. The top 
of the hill is 3,000 feet above sea-level and 2| miles east of Bonang. From 
this point to Bendoc Ordovician rocks occur. On the east slope of the 
mountain and north of the road, about half-a-mile, are alluvial gold work¬ 
ings that follow a creek flowing north-east to the Delegete River. Alluvial 
workings follow the course of this creek for many miles. The Bendoc River 
flows nearly north-east and alluvial workings extend right down the course 
of this river for 40 miles, and for 5 miles above Bendoc. Bendoc is on 
Ordovician rocks and these are auriferous. The strike of the beds is N., 
dip W. 
[.Report sent in zS.j.o/.] 
