4-5 Cave Hill

This information has been developed from the publications:

An assessment of the Geological/Geomorphological Significance of Private Land in the Shire of Portland (1981) by N. Rosengren, J Mallen, T Shepherd.

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 section of the Geological Society of Australia website (external link) for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Locality:	7221-531759. Four kilometres south-west of Heywood.
Access:	Cave Hill Road off Princes Highway.
Geology/Geomorphology:	The Tertiary polyzoal limestones of Cave Hill contain a complex network of caves, probably developed along enlarged joints. The caves have a large number of entrances and the chambers are probably connected. They are mainly collapse features, but a lower level, with an intense amount of phreatic preparation of the limestone, is found under each chamber. Once chamber is used by the Little Bent Wing Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii) as a roosting site. The main cave chambers are very dusty and dry. depressions have developed on the surface as cavernous areas have collapsed.
Significance:	State. Cave Hill is the only known cavernous features of this type of limestone in Victoria. Other areas nearby which formerly contained caves have been quarried.
Management:	Quarrying should be restricted to the present sites and should not be extended into the caves area. The area is best protected if it is left as timbered grazing land.
Reference:	Kenny, J. P. L. (1939). 'Limestone at Heywood', Min. and Geol. J. Victoria 2(1): 52-54.

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