G9, G10, G11 - Coldstream West - Meanders and Cut-Offs

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

Location:	AMG Ref: 510250, 513252, 518259.	Elongate meander - A, Recent Cut-off - B, Fan-shaped meander - C
Access:	Henley Road and Coldstream West Road.
Geomorphology:	The site includes three adjacent localities with different meander and cut-off characteristics. G9 includes an elongate meander where a cut-off is imminent as the neck is less than 10 metres wide in places. An earlier cut-off similar form is evident on the west of the river. At G10 there is a recently formed cut-off probably one of the youngest in the study area. At G11 the meander is fan-shaped rather than elongate. Upstream, the channel is straight where it emerges from the Yering Gorge and is flanked by low levee banks breached by flood crevassing.
	The floodplain between Henty Road and Hughes Road is an alluvial basin contained between the Yering Gorge and the upper reaches of the Warrandyte Gorge. Because of the containment, flooding may have been more frequent, contributing to the growth of well defined levee banks below the Henley Road bridge.
Significance:	Regional. The area is selected on the basis of the contrasting meander forms and the several stages of cut-off development included. The cut-off (G10) is one of the least modified on the floodplain in the study area.
Management:	Class 2. No drainage or other reclamation work should be permitted at G10 and removal of sand from the levee at G11 should be limited to small areas.

Image: Upper Yarra Sites of Significance

Levee bank/floodplain, Levee - A,
Backswamp B.

Coldstream West Road Levee and Backswamp

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