44 
nature and pleasing colour of the stone obtainable is strikingly apparent. 
With the exception of a few odd pieces of shale of high colour, which should 
never have been used, the building after forty years is as fresh in appearance as 
if just built. Good examples of the suitability of the stone for dressed surfaces 
are to be seen in the window openings, &c. The foundations below ground 
consist of freestone, and their contact with the surface soil shows no deterio¬ 
ration. 
From a geological stand-point the formations belong to the Bacchus Marsh 
series (Permo-Carboniferous) and show striking evidence of deposit under 
glacial conditions, the pebbly mudstones being visible in both quarries. 
Jointing of the sandstones is markedly absent in both localities, which forms 
a striking contrast to the beds in the same series further south. The ease 
with which the stone can be cut while in the quarry, followed by a hardening 
on exposure, is a good feature. The dip of the beds in the quarry north-west 
of the hotel is to the north-west, while in the eastern quarry, the dip is south¬ 
west at about 10°. In both cases the beds dip under the hill. While both 
faces exposed show extensive deposits, further prospecting on careful lines 
would probably prove more economic places for the openings. In this direc¬ 
tion opening the bed in the western quarry to the north is suggested, so that 
the face could advance up the incline of the dip of the beds. In the eastern 
quarry the bed could be traced southwards, and a face opened that would 
similarly work in an uphill direction. These and the best means of extracting 
the stone are mere matters of detail. 
To summarize, large beds of easily obtained freestone of pleasing colour, 
with undoubted resistance to weathering and free from jointing, staining, or 
objectionable features, are exposed. The distance to the railway is about 
6 miles, with a good road throughout. Having such favorable deposits within 
easy access of the metropolis should cause attention to be directed to them, 
as no doubt large quantities could be used in building. 
[6.3.11.] 
SIMS’ QUARRY, MOORABOOL RIVER, BALLAN. 
By W. Baragwanath, Senior Field Geologist. 
Several quarries are situated on the banks of the Moorabool River, on the 
northern side of the Ballan to Egerton road. 
The first is about a quarter of a mile above the bridge on the Ballan- 
Egerton road, while the second is about a quarter of a mile further up stream, 
both being in the north-eastern corner of the parish of Bungal. The forma¬ 
tion exposed in both quarries belongs to the Bacchus Marsh glacial series, 
which is exposed on the southern bank of the Moorabool to the north of 
Hunterston pre-emptive right. The work done in the up-stream quarry is 
small, and, in the lower quarry, the stone is soft and friable, and full of joints. 
About 30 feet above the latter quarry, however, the remains of an old cut can 
be seen. This, it is stated, is the site from which came the freestone of which 
Hunterston homestead was built 60 years ago. The good state of preservation 
of this building is evidence of the suitability of the stone for building purposes. 
In this upper cut is exposed a bed of freestone 12 feet or more in thickness, 
white and fine grained, capable of retaining sharp corners, and apparently 
free from joints. The weathered portions of this old cut show the stone to 
be one of superior quality. A face should be cut in this formation to prove 
its extent. In the most northerly quarry, which is also on the bank of the 
