129 
These layers in weathering mix with some basaltic soil and yield good 
crops when cultivated. ISTo fossils were found in the Tertiary sedi¬ 
ments, so there is no direct evidence of their age. The basalt is, how- 
#>.ver, without doubt part of the ISTewer Volcanic series, which fixes it 
as Pliocene, and since the sedimentary strata are inter-bedded with it 
they must also be Pliocene. In the adjoining quarter-sheet, Ho. 12 H.E., 
Tertiary beds inter-stratified with the basalt layers, are called Miocene. 
Down the river, on quarter^sheet Ho. 8 S.W., these beds are not 
shown, though they continue in the cliffs. 
Post-Basaltic Sands. 
In places the basalt is thinly covered with a layer of sand, which 
contains some grit or less frequently some gravel. This material 
has, in places, been derived from Tertiary sediments, but the decision 
of the age of it is complicated by the fact that in places the tuffs contain 
a considerable amount of sand, grit, and gravel, and recent weathering 
has made a capping on the tuff and basalt of good soil containing 
some sand, grit, and gravel. In allotment Ho. 20a, parish of Moora- 
doranook, some of the gravel appears to have been derived from a sedi¬ 
mentary bed, and some from the weathering of tuff. In allotment 
A of sec. XVII., parish of Mooradoranook, there lare two small hollows, 
which may be water-holes in wet seasons, and at these a very small 
amount of limestone, possibly of fresh-water origin, was found. 
Building Stone. 
Much of the basalt exposed is decomposed, the harder stone, in places, 
is much honeycombed with steam holes, and some is platy in structure. 
Some of the rock is fairly dense, and would do for building pur¬ 
poses, but no great thickness of even-tgrained dense rock was noted, such 
as might yield large blocks for landing purposes. Smaller stones suit¬ 
able for buildings could be obtained from the upper fiow, on the southern 
bank of the Werribee River about one mile north-westerly from the 
Parwan Railway Station, and also in other places. 
Depth of Bedrock. 
The depth of the bedrock was not ascertained anywhere in the area 
surveyed. Ho outcrops of Ordovician or Silurian rocks were noted. The 
geological sketch map of Victoria shows Ordovician rocks to occur on 
the north side of the Werribee River, in the parish of Djerriwarrah. 
To the south and west of this survey, bores have been put down in 
search of water to 350 ft. without reaching bedrock. It was suggested 
to me that there may be a deep lead passing near or through the area 
surveyed. 
Apparently all the water draining from Barkstead, Blakeville, and 
Blackwood must fiow down the Werribee and Lerderderg Rivers, and 
pass down the Werribee River where it bounds this survey. Ho doubt 
sand and gravel from these places, and possibly some gold derived there¬ 
from, or from reefs which may have existed nearer Bacchus Marsh, 
would also be carried down by the waters of the present, or ancient 
Werribee. Even if there is gold beneath the surface of the area sur¬ 
veyed, it is doubtful if it is confined to a defined channel or lead. We 
have no information concerning the configuration of the bedrock. The 
