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56. Somers - Beach Ridges and Bluff

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:Somers – 410484. One kilometre east of Somers.
Image: Sites of Significance Westernport Bay
Bluff (A) and older beach ridges at the

proximal end of the Sandy Point spit,
Site 56
Access:South Beach Road and South Sea Road.
Ownership:Private land and Crown Land.
Geomorphology:The site includes the lower slopes of Western Hill which terminate as a coastal bluff. Seaward of the bluff are sets of low and regularly spaced sand beach ridges which converge towards the west.
Significance:State. This site is continuous with Site 55 and forms part of the complex depositional system that comprises Sandy Point. This system is the major sand spit accumulation in the Westernport region and one of the largest on the Victorian coast.
Management:Class 2. Minimal disturbance to the sand ridge system is required to maintain the significance of the site. Further clearing of vegetation and levelling of the surface should be prohibited.

Image: Sites of Significance Westernport Bay
The depositional complex of Sandy Point
extending eastward from the bluff at Somers,
Sites 53, 55 and 56.
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