212. The Centreway - Basalt Quarry

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:	Rhyll - 540475. A small quarry on private land at the southern end of The Centreway.	Jointed basalt in Centreway quarry. White material infilling joints is montmorillonite. Site 212
Access:	Private vehicle track for 500 m from The Centreway.
Ownership:	Private land.
Geology/Geomorphology:	The site is used as a quarry for aggregate for road construction on French Island. The exposure consists of strongly jointed decomposed basalt with joint infilling of white montmorillonite. A vertical gradation from a surface layer of dark brown clayey loam to partly decomposed basalt which retains joint and spheroidal weathering features is typical of this outcrop. The degree of weathering varies; some spheroids are entirely decomposed while others remain hard cores.
Significance:	Local. The site represents one of the few areas on French Island where basalt may be observed away from marine influences. Montmorillonite joint infilling do not appear in the coastal exposures of basalt, where they have been dissolved and removed by sea water.
Management:	Class 2. Regular use of the site maintains good vertical exposures through the basalt and ensures the removal of slumped material from the base of the outcrops. If abandoned as a quarry the site should not be artificially filled or used as a rubbish dump.

Sites 212 & 213, The Centreway and "Chesapeake"

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