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128. Poowong - Gabbroic Dyke

This information has been developed from one or more of these publications:

  • Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the Westernport Bay Catchment (1984) by Neville Rosengren.
  • 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 Environmental Significance in the Flood Plain of the Upper Yarra Valley Region (1983) by Neville Rosengren, Douglas Frood and Kim Lowe (as part of a study of Sites of Environmental Significance by the University of Melbourne for the then Upper Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges Authority).
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.

Location:Poowong - 923568. One kilometre north of Poowong.

Image: Sites of Significance Port Phillip Bay
Small quarry exposing gabbroic dyke is now concealed by rubbish.

Access:
Poowong - Drouin Road.

Ownership:
Private land and Crown Land.

Geology:
The road cutting exposes dipping weathered Mesozoic sediments, mainly mudstones, and a 15 centimetre coal layer. Samples from a coarse textured intrusive rock that outcrops on private land 200 metres north of the water tower have been described as olivine gabbro and the rock dated at 85.5 million years old (Bowen 1974). This rock does not outcrop in the road cuttings.

Significance:
State. The dyke rock is one of the oldest dated in the Gippsland region and is Late Cretaceous in age. Dykes of this composition and texture are rare in Victoria and this is the only one that has been noted in the study area.

Management:
Class 2. Changes in land use will not alter the significance of the Mesozoic sedimentary rocks in the road cuttings. The dyke rock is exposed in a small disused quarry on private land and it is largely concealed by water in the quarry and by material deliberately placed to fill the hole. It is recommended that no further filling of the site be permitted or the site of the outcrop will be totally obscured.

References:
Bowen (1974).
Carey (1979).

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