2-9 Bridgewater Lakes

This information has been developed from the publications:

An assessment of the Geological/Geomorphological Significance of Private Land in the Shire of Portland (1981) by N. Rosengren, J Mallen, T Shepherd.

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.

Locality:	7121-350589. Three kilometres north-west of Bridgewater.
Access:	Bridgewater Lakes Road.
Ownership:	Most of the lakes are Crown Land (Discovery Bay Coastal Park) - the scarp and catchment area are mainly in private land.
Geomorphology:	This is a sequence of freshwater lakes impounded behind coastal sand dunes. They are essentially former lagoons now cut-off from the sea, the inner margin of the lake basin being the eroded scarp of the Bridgewater Lakes Fault. Near the eastern end, an active dune is advancing towards the lakes, and has covered part of the former lake system. Organic materials are accumulating in parts of the lakes.
Significance:	State. The lakes are not fed by any stream, the small variation in lake level that occurs annually indicates that they are nourished by ground water drainage. They are one of the longest freshwater coastal lake system in Victoria.
Management:	Because they have no permanent outlet, the lakes have the potential to be rapidly polluted by domestic and farm wastes. Of interest at this site is the aquatic vegetation, especially the rates and processes of its spread into the lakes. The use of the lakes for power boating is incompatible with this interest, and consideration should be given to ultimately phasing out this usage at the site.

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