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11 Swan Bay - Alluvial Fans

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 for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.


Location		967691. Swan Bay coast 3.5 km north of Swan Bay Jetty (McDonalds Jetty).
Image: Sites of Significance Port Phillip Bay
 Site 11, Alluvial fans and lagoons on western shore of Swan Bay south of Anderson Road

Access
Andersons Road off Manifold Road.

Ownership/Managing Authority
Crown Land (Department of Conservation Forests and Lands) and private land.

Site Description
The western coastline of Swan Bay is backed by a well-defined but degraded bluff 5 to 8 m high, cut into deeply weathered Moorabool Viaduct Sand draped over by alluvial and colluvial sediments. The bluff delineates the landward limit of Pleistocene marine submergence of Swan Bay. The bluff and the plateau behind are weakly incised by drainage extending eastward from Murraduc Hill, and alluvial fans have developed at the mounts of these shallow valleys. A coastal terrace comprising alluvial fan sediments, weathered slope deposits, broad low sand ridges, and salt marsh material, has developed in front of the degraded bluff. Shallow lagoons, over washed by storms lie in depressions on the terrace and are enclosed by the low ridges.

Significance
Local. The site has been selected to illustrate the depositional complex on the western coast of Swan Bay. Earlier higher energy and/or higher sea level conditions are indicated by the development of a cliff (now the degraded bluff) followed by the alluvial and coastal sedimentation. The terrain and sediments of the site provide a good example of a complex landform history contained in a small area of subdued and subtle landforms.

Management Considerations
Class 2. The site would be seriously degraded by drainage, dredging, reclamation, infilling or building. Retention in the present form of rural use is appropriate. The gullies developing on the abandoned roadway into the site (the extension of Andersons Road) should be reclaimed.

Swan Bay
Site 11, Swan Bay alluvial fans south of Anderson Road
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