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5. Black Snake Range - Granite Slopes

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 (external link) section of the Geological Society of Australia website for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Location:Beenak – 815967. Ten kilometres east of Gembrook.

Access:

Burgess Road or Back Creek Road.

Ownership:

Crown Land.

Geology/Geomorphology:

The Black Snake Range is a prominent east-west divide developed in the Tynong Granite. The crest of the divide rises to almost 400 metres and at this site there are numerous exposed granite slopes and large boulders near the ridge crest. The lower slopes have a cover of granite downwash and the minor valleys have become partly infilled with this granitic sand wash, and hence they are swampy. A scrub and heathland vegetation on these lower slopes reflects these impede drainage conditions.

Significance:

Regional. The site is typical of the lower ranges that form the upper catchment of the main tributaries of the Bunyip River.

Management:

Class 2. Extensive clearing or sand extraction should not be permitted at the site.
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