Your gateway to a wide range of natural resources information and associated maps

Victorian Resources Online

  1. Victorian Resources Online
    1. Catchment Management Regions
      1. East Gippsland Region
        1. Landform
          1. Elevation
          2. Land Systems
          3. 3D Catchment Overview
          4. Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance
          5. Geomorphology
          6. Land Use
          7. Soil
          8. Land and Water Management
    2. Soil and Land Survey Directory
    3. VRO Sitemap
    4. VRO Feedback

8523-14 Wilkinson River Gorge

This information has been developed from the publications:

    • Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in Central Gippsland (1981) by Neville Rosengren, M.S McRae-Williams and S.M Kraemers.
    • Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the Gippsland Lakes Catchment (1984) by Neville Rosengren.
    • Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in East Gippsland, Victoria (1981) by Neville Rosengren, M.S McRae-Williams
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 for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Location:924555. North of the Timbarra River crossing of the Old Ensay Road.
Image: East Gippsland Sites of Significance
Wilkinson River Gorge. Conglomerates of the Timbarra Formation.

Abstract:
River gorge cut in Timbarra Formation.

Access:
Old Ensay Road.

Ownership:
Crown land.

Geology:
The Snowy River Volcanics have been divided into seven formations, the oldest of which is the Timbarra Formation. This Formation is considered to underlie the main mass of the Snowy River Volcanics, although it may be contemporaneous with the Deddick Rhyodacite recognized to the north in the upper Snowy River area.

The Timbarra Formation consists predominantly of conglomerates with minor intercalations of tuff, agglomerate, rhyodacite and fine grade sediments. This formation is well exposed in the Wilkinson River Gorge. The conglomerates contain clasts which vary in size from 0.5 cm to 75 cm. These consist of fine grained volcanics, quartzite, shale and occasional granite pebbles.

Several broad, steeply plunging anticlines occur in the lower parts of the gorge. Erosion has exposed the folded structures, where these strike across the creek. The Timbarra Formation is down-faulted against steeply dipping Ordovician slates and sandstones to the south of the gorge but unconformably overlies the Ordovician sediments within the gorge. The Ordovician at this locality consists of vertically dipping slates and sandstones.

Geomorphology:
The Wilkinson Creek has cut a substantial gorge through the Timbarra Formation, with cliffs 30 m in height. The conglomerates are more resistant to erosion than the Ordovician sediments and consequently the gorge is best developed in the former material. Within the gorge, the stream channel is strewn with large conglomerate boulders which are often separated by deep pools. Cliff undercutting has produced landslides at several localities.

Significance:
Regional. Well developed gorge with the best exposure of Timbarra Formation in the region.

Management:
The gorge and the exposures of the Timbarra Formation would be obscured by flooding resulting from dam construction in the area.

References:
Ringwood, A.E. 1955b. 'The geology of the Snowy River district, East Gippsland', Ibid.
67 :67-74.
Fletcher, K. 1963. 'The Snowy River Volcanics west of Buchan, Victoria', Proc. R. Soc. Vict.
76 :169-179.
O’Shea, P.J. 1980. 'Mineral Potential of the Snowy River Volcanics and Buchan Caves Limestone', Rep. Geol. Surv. Vict., No.63.

Image: East Gippsland Sites of Significance
Wilkinson River Gorge. Plunging antiform in Timbarra Formation. Dotted line indicates possible axis trend.
Page top

For information about DJPR please contact:

Phone: 136 186

National Relay Service: 133 677 or relayservice.gov.au

Email: customer.service@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Online: Contact us

Copyright

Privacy

Disclaimer

Accessibility
Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions - Government of Victoria

© State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) 1996 - .

Creative Commons License

This work, Victorian Resources Online, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) as author, indicate if changes were made and comply with the other licence terms.


The licence does not apply to ‘branding’ or some ‘images or photographs’ that may be owned by third parties. We ask you to seek prior approval to use images using the VRO feedback form. Access to higher quality images can also be provided on request.


This page was last updated on .