106 
Mr. Tilley (the owner of Aringa station) pointed out the various 
outcrops of limestone, clay, and sand on his property. Grood dense stone 
Avas noted in the small quarry in the Woolshed paddock; at a depth of 
20 feet in the well at the homestead; at the shaft oh the hilltop; at 
about 5 and S-f- miles respectively from Port Fairy; at Gibson’s; and 
some stone which was somewhat more friable at the Middle paddock. 
The positions are marked on the accompanying parish plan. (Fig. 36.) 
Seven samples of limestone Avere submitted to the Geological Survey 
laboratory for partial analysis. The folloAving are the results:— 
Locality. 
Sample No. 
CaCOj 
Carbonate of 
Lime. 
Quarry in Woolshed paddock 
198 
a' 
/o 
94-8 
Well 20 ft. deep, Aringa homestead 
199 
74-8 
Hole, 51 miles west of Port Fairy’ 
200 
89-7 
Hole, 5 miles west of Port Fairy 
201 
93-4 
Gibson’s outcrop 
202 
96-1 
IVIiddle paddock, Aringa 
Syndicate’s shaft, Aringa 
203 
86-5 
204 
92-9 
The samples contain also small amounts of magnesia, silica, iron, 
alumina, and traces of phosphoric acid. Except 'No. 199, all contain 
sufficient lime for cement. 
On the flat, about 1 mile east of the homestead, there is a bed of 
black, very tough clay. It is a surface layer, and Mr. Tilley informs 
me that it is 4 feet thick. It extends oA^er many acres. A sample was 
submitted to the Geologioal SurA^ey laboratory with the following 
results:— 
Ho. 206. This sample, which came from 1 mile east of Aringa home¬ 
stead, where a syndicate once had an option over 10 acres, consists of a 
very plastic clay, impregnated Avith organic matter, to AAffiich is due its 
blackness. It contains 10 per cent, of sand grains, which are retained on 
the 100 mesh sieve after washing. This renders it unflt for use as a 
cement-making material. By grinding, the clay Avould become suitable 
for cement, but this Avould add to the cost. 
Without boring, the thickness of the limestone series could not be 
accurately determined, but apparently there is abundance of stone. On 
the Aringa estate, limestone of varying quality, Avhich in places is 
covered by sand, outcrops in many places at the surface, and extends 
from south-east to north-west for ll miles, shoAving for over a quarter 
of a mile in width. The surface varies approximately from 20 ft. to 
100 ft. aboA^e sea level. In a number of places good solid layers of lime¬ 
stone 6 ft. to 10 ft. thick Avere observed. The quantity of limestone 
cannot be estimated from the available data, but it must be considerable. 
A small area of good limestone Avas noted 1 mile north-easterly 
from the homestead; this is known as Gibson’s. It coaws about 6 
acres, and is just above the level of the flat. Possibly 80,000 tons of 
limestone could be obtained here, to a depth of 6 or 7 feet. 
The crystals in the peaty soil from the flat at Gibson’s consist of 
gypsum. These minute crystals, mixed Avith the peaty soil, may be of use 
as a fertilizer. 
[18.3.15.] 
