56 
The casts of the leaves from the clays in the quarry, and the leaves them¬ 
selves where sufficiently preserved, have been examined by Mr. Hy. Deane, 
M.A., F.L.S., of Sydney.* 
Basalt. Eocene ? 
This rock occurs in two patches of moderate extent, one at Berwick, the 
other at Cranbourne. At the former place it occupies the highest portions 
of the hills, extending for about 2J miles along the ridge running southwards 
from the township. 
At Wilson’s quarry there is exposed a thickness of about 60 feet of basalt; 
and above this, reaching to the top of the hill, is a further thickness of 
about 100 feet ; so that, assuming basalt to occur the whole way up from the 
quarry, which it probably does, there is here a mass of about 160 feet of 
volcanic rock. The rock in the quarry is dense, and light bluish-grev in 
colour where not decomposed. It is both concretionary and much jointed, 
with strings of carbonates of lime and magnesia in the joints. Large pockets 
of clay occur in places. No zeolites were noticed. The rock is decomposed 
for a considerable depth from the surface in the back of the quarry, and is 
much splintered. Small breaks are continually taking place, and masses of 
material sliding into the quarry from this upper portion, which has the 
appearance of being a distinct flow from that found in the lower portion of 
the quarry. 
The top ot the hill is composed of basalt of what appears to be a distinct 
flow from that or those in the quarry. The rock is here a very fine-grained 
dense dark one, a typical “ older basalt,” and weathers into red and brown 
smooth surfaces and soil ; while that in the quarry weathers into dirty-grey 
soil and surfaces. 
In Berwick township some of the rock, evidently similar to that in the 
quarry, contains large crystals of a glassy mineral. As already stated, the 
basalt in the quarry lies against a steep face of clay with vegetable remains. 
The bearing of the line of contact appears to be about S. 70° E., and the 
angle of slope about 45°. 
At Cranbourne the rock occupies country which consists either of low 
swells, or wide shallow depressions. At the surface loose flattened pieces 
only, of dense dark basalt, are noticeable among the dark-grey, black, and 
chocolate stiff loam. In depth it becomes firmer, and is greatly jointed, till 
at 15 to 20 feet from the surface there is nothing but hard dense 
jointed rock. It is thus seen in the bottom of a water-course along the 
Narre Warren road, while in a well sunk in the township to a depth of 40 
feet, the section for 1J feet was a sandy loam, then volcanic clay, decompos¬ 
ing basalt, and finally dense dark basalt. The soil is very rich, and, like 
that derived from the “ older basalt ” in most parts of Victoria, eminently 
suitable for the growth of tubers, especially onions and potatoes, which are 
largely raised in the district. 
The basalt running S.E. from Berwick station appears to be of at least 
two different flows, judging by the soil, which in some portions of the 
area is drab-grey in colour and rather poor in quality, but in others is rich in 
quality, and brown, black, red, or chocolate in colour. 
* Mr. Deane’s reports are published in the present part of the Records of the Geol. Surv. 
Viet.: — 
Preliminary Report on the Fossil Flora of Pitfield, Mornington, Sentinel Rock (Otway 
Coast), Berwick, and Wonwron. 
Notes on the Fossil Flora of Berwick. 
