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8.7 Dry Valley - Carlisle River

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:8-075280. Two kilometres south west of Carlisle River.
flood plain
Avulsion channel (arrowed) and isolated hill (A) on the flood plain of the Carlisle River.

Access:

Off Gellibrand Road.

Ownership:

Private land.

Geomorphology:

A narrow elongated drainage basin parallel to the Carlisle River has a wide, dry valley floor and steep valley side slopes. A higher level abandoned meander occurs near the outlet to the basin. The steepness of the valley sides indicate a period of rapid down cutting (including the isolation of the meander) followed by channel alluviation.

Significance:

Regional. The site illustrates the nature of valley development in the Tertiary formations on the north western flank of the Otways. As fluvial processes are now of little importance in this small catchment the site is useful to illustrate that discharge patterns and denudation rates have varied over the Quaternary period and that small drainage channels adjust to these changes. This catchment has been selected because a clear profile can be seen from the road crossing the valley.

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