43 
much gold has been obtained, appears to be almost identical in composition 
and structure with the Golden Hope dyke. Some of the same series of 
quartz-porphyry dykes occur on the Werribee between Bacchus Marsh and 
Ingliston. 
The Golden Hope dyke and reef occur in the slate and sandstone series of 
the Lower Ordovician rocks, and the beds may be found to belong to the 
Bendigo series, for at Abel’s Reef, about 2 miles north, a small collection of 
graptolites was made, which are probably Bendigonian. The rocks are not 
like those of Bendigo, being more sandy and gritty, but this may possibly be 
due to their having been formed nearer to where granite rocks were being 
disintegrated. These beds southwards may pass near Ballan, and northwards 
may perhaps trend a couple of miles west of Castlemaine. 
An unidentified green mineral, which is soft and crystallizes in cubes or 
in clusters of radiate acicular crystals, occurs in the quartz veins in the dykes, 
and coats the small quartz crystals. 
[ 2 . 10 . 11 .] 
FREESTONE QUARRIES AT GREENDALE, NEAR BALLAN. 
By W. Baragwanath, Senior Field Geologist. 
The freestone quarry, situated 30 chains north-west of the Medway Hotel, 
Greendale, in allotments 8 and 9 of section V., village of Greendale, and on the 
western bank of a small stream, was first opened over forty years ago. A fair 
quantity of stone has been obtained, and the most remarkable feature is the 
absence of any spoil bank, the entire amount taken out having been utilized. 
A face of over 20 feet in height shows even-grained white to light buff sand¬ 
stone resting on a thick bed of pebbly mudstone. The largest of the sand¬ 
stone beds is over 8 feet in thickness, and even in grain and colour throughout; 
then there are a few thin shaly layers followed by other beds of even-grained 
sand-stones. Southward and higher up the hillside large beds are exposed ; 
these would come into the face of the present quarry as work proceeds into 
the hill. 
Another quarry lies J mile east of the Medway Hotel on the eastern slope 
of a steep hill, about 200 feet in altitude. A bed of sandstone, 10 feet in 
1 thickness, of fine even grain, and of a faint pink colour ranging to light yellow, 
is exposed, resting, as in the other quarry, on a bed of pebbly mudstone. 
About 80 feet higher up the hill a still thicker bed of somewhat coarser grain 
was noticed, but apart from proving its thickness nothing has been done. 
The existence of a great quantity of suitable material is assured. From 
the two exposures, stone of different colours, free from any objectionable 
features, and in any sizes consistent with the requirements of transport can 
be obtained. The stone in the quarry east of the hotel has a colour and grain 
which should cause it to be much sought after. 
The durability may be judged from stone quarried forty years ago. Two 
culverts on the Ballan-road built of rough hewn blocks are still as good as 
when first erected. The pick marks are not even obliterated, although the 
conditions to which the stone is subjected are severe. 
In Greendale township a bridge built of bluest one is faced with freestone. 
Here no sign of fretting or weathering is evident, even on the sharpest corners. 
There is a small church in Greendale township built of this stone. It is 
apparent that economic considerations or lack of knowledge led to the utili¬ 
zation of stone which should never have left the quarry, but the durable 
