37 
bottom of the 35 feet shaft is 5 feet 6 inches thick, so Mr. D. McRae 
informed me. Besides this lode, others of a similar nature are reported in 
this vicinity. 
Ten tons of ore (quartz and micaceous haematite), selected from what 
was obtained in sinking the shafts and opening up the lode, were sent 
by Mr. David McRae to the Bairnsdale School of Mines for treatment. 
The yield was about 30 ozs. of silver and 4 dwts. 10 grs. of gold per 
ton of ore. This lode deserves further trial; it has been partially opened 
up by Mr. McRae to test its value. 
Mr. D. McRae resides about ij miles from the workings; he showed 
me over the ground, and to him I am indebted for much hospitality. 
There is a considerable area of Older Basalt here. The soil is good, 
and when the timber is killed off it affords excellent pasturage. In time 
it will, no doubt, be cultivated. Much of the basalt is vesicular, and in 
places a poor kind of opal forms amygdales in it; but the brilliant colours 
of the precious opal are wanting. About 30 chains to the north of Mr. D. 
McRae’s house is a block of silicified wood, in partially decomposed basalt. 
It measures 1 ft. 6 in. bv 1 foot by> 1 foot, and must have been enveloped 
in a basalt flow. Another example occurs about the same distance to the 
south-west from the house. 
About 7 miles from Buchan, on the Gelantipy-road, on the top of a 
high ridge of limestone, there is an outlier of Cainozoic (Tertiairy) age, of 
well-rounded, large boulders, pebbles, &c., indicating that what is now 
the highest part of the country was a river bed when these were deposited. 
Since these were laid down hundreds of feet of the adjacent country have, 
been removed, and great valleys scooped out. 
[Report sent in 12th August, ipojf.] 
PROPOSED RESERVATION OF LIMESTONE CAVES IN 
THE BUCHAN DISTRICT, EASTERN GIPPSLAND. 
(NO. 2 1 ON LOCALITY MAP.) 
By A. E. Kitson, E.G.S. 
In accordance with instructions I made an examination of the area ad¬ 
joining the Buchan township (the Mining Reserve), applied for by B. 
E, Whitaker, under section 59 of the Land Act 1898, and also inspected 
the cave areas in the adjacent district to ascertain what portions (if any) 
should be set apart as Cave Reservations. 
The localities where Cave Reserves are recommended by me, and on 
which separate reports are attached, are as follow: — 
1. Spring Creek Caves area. 
2. Buchan township area. 
3. Camping Reserve, Sec. B, parish of Buchan. 
4. Dickson’s Caves area. 
5. Basin Creek (Slocombe’s) Caves area. 
6. The Pyramids, Mining Reserve, Murrindal River. 
7. Wilson’s Caves, Recreation Reserve, adjoining allot. 8 b., sec. B., 
parish of Buchan. 
Spring Creek Caves Area. 
I made a careful inspection of the area applied for, which adjoins 
the northern boundary of allot. 5 A., of C., parish of Buchan, and the 
western boundary of the township of Buchan. The attached plan of the 
