24.5 Cape Otway East

This information has been developed from the publications:

Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the Western Region of Melbourne (1986) by Neville Rosengren
Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance on the Coast of Port Phillip Bay (1988) by Neville Rosengren.
Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the Shire of Otway (1984) by Neville Rosengren.

Geological heritage sites, including sites of geomorphological interest and volcanic heritage sites, are under regular revision by the Geological Society of Australia, especially in the assessment of significance and values. Reference should be made to the most recent reports. See the Earth Science Heritage (external site) section of the Geological Society of Australia website for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Location:	24-180960. One kilometre east of Cape Otway.
Access:	Coastal walk from Crayfish Bay.
Ownership:	Crown land (Otway National Park).
Geology/Geomorphology:	The cliffed sector in Bridgewater Formation and Otway Group sedimentary rocks continues as in Site 24.1. Of particular interest is a section contained in the calcarenites described by Wilkinson (1865). He located this as ".... midway between the mouth of the Parker River and the Cape," and consisting of ".... lignite with inter-stratified layers of sandy clay full of small estuary shells .... and a species of natica in it." A lignite bed does occur between Crayfish Bay and Cape Otway near the foot of the cliffs but appears to be contained between Bridgewater Formation beds. The unit can be traced discontinuously for 400 metres as much of it is obscured by slumped and fallen blocks of the overlying dune limestone. The age and nature of this bed have not been closely defined. The coastal cliffs and bluffs display the contact between the Mesozoic rocks and the dune limestone of the Bridgewater Formation. The latter are strongly cross-bedded and include palaeosol horizons and occasional calcrete horizons. The height of the contact of the two rock groups in the cliff face varies and in places the Bridgewater Formation descends to sea level. The cliff top has a distinct ridge of sand rising up to one metre high and enclosing a young buried soil and remnants of aboriginal kitchen middens.
Significance:	Unknown. More detailed analysis of the stratigraphy of the bed referred to above is required.
References:	Wilkinson, C.S. (1865). "Report on the Cape Otway Country." (From Parl. Papers 1864-65.) Rep. Geol. Surv. Vict. Medwell, G.J. (1971). "Structure of the Otway Ranges in the Otway Basin of South-Eastern Australia." (eds. H. Wopfner, and J.G. Douglas). Spec. Pub. Geol. Survs. S. Aust. and Vict.: 339-362.

Site 24.2 to 24.6

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