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163. Bena - Basaltic Dyke

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:

Korumburra - 917478. Railway cutting beneath the South Gippsland Highway overpass at Bena.

Image: Sites of Significance Port Phillip Bay
Basaltic dyke (A) intruding Mesozoic sediments, Bena.

Access:

South Gippsland Highway.

Ownership:

Crown Land.

Geology:

A weathered basaltic dyke is exposed in the railway cutting immediately east of the road overpass. The material is coarse grained and may be dolerite or gabbro. The contact margins of the dyke with the Mesozoic sediments are clearly seen and these rocks are baked and partly silicified at this contact. The site was described and illustrated by James Stirling in 1891.

Significance:

Regional This is one of the largest and best displayed basic dykes in the study area.

Management:

Class 2. Artificial stabilising of the cutting should not be carried out as this would obscure the exposure.

References:

Stirling (1891).
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