Retarding Basin

This information has been developed from one or more of these publications:

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.

An unusual feature of the geomorphology of the Merri Creek is the “retarding basin” area north of Mahoneys Road. The basin is an area 1 km long and up to 500 m wide and is eroded through basalt and Tertiary sedimentary rocks exposing Silurian sediments. The creek has meandered across the floor of the basin and cut well-defined valley-side bluffs on both sides. The bluff on the eastern side is a more degraded slope than the western. The floor of the basin is covered by alluvium which surround two low flat hills, one with a small residual capping basalt. The only (remaining) natural alluvial cut-off meander in the study area is in the process of developing here. The basin has been developed immediately below the major knick point of Barry Road gorge.

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