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200. Quoin Hill - Volcanic Plug

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:

Pyramid Rock – 414368. 3 km south.

Access:

Off Back Beach Road.

Ownership:

Private land.

Geology/Geomorphology:

Edwards (1945) described Quoin Hill as a volcanic plug with a small flow of lava issuing to the west. The rock is olivine basalt with titaniferous augite. The material is well exposed in a quarry near the crest of the hill.

Significance:

Regional. This is the only lava eruption centre noted on Phillip Island and one of a small number in the Westernport catchment.

Management:

Class 3. On completion of quarrying operations it would be desirable to maintain one or more faces of the quarry to act as reference sites for display of the volcanic material.

References:

Edwards, A.B. (1945). The geology of Phillip Island.
Ibid. 57 (1+2) 1-21.
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