L14 - Maddingley - Verterbrate Fossil Site

This information has been developed from this publication:

Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the Western Region of Melbourne (1986) 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 section of the Geological Society of Australia website for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Location:	Lerderderg - 755240. Shire of Bacchus Marsh. Cutting on the Western Railway, 3 km southeast of Bacchus Marsh.
Access:	Exford Road.
Ownership:	Crown land.
Site Description:	The railway cutting exposes a section of sandy clay deposits that have yielded mammal bone materials (skulls of wombats and rodents). Although the enclosing material is an intra-basaltic sedimentary deposit of probably Miocene age, the bone material has proved to be much younger (Pleistocene and Holocene). It is likely that the younger bone-bearing sediment originated as gully fill in a channel cut into the older Tertiary sediment after part of the overlying basalt had been eroded away.
Significance:	Local. Although not significant as a fossil locality, the site presents an interesting geological problem.
Management:	Class 1. The cutting should not be artificially stabilized or obscured by engineering works associated with the railway or adjacent road.
References:	Bacchus Marsh 1:50 000 Geological Map Wilkinson E (pers. Comm).

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