K11 Taylors Creek - Lava Flow Section

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

Location	Keilor - 072239. Former City of Keilor. Valley of Taylors Creek immediately upstream of Hakea Road Bridge.	K11 - Jointed lava flows, Taylors Creek, Taylors Lakes. Note building rubble in foreground.
Access	Hakea Road.
Ownership	Crown land
Site Description	A 7 m high cliff, formed by the incision of Taylors Creek into the basalt of the Keilor Plains, exposes two lava flows of the Newer Volcanics. The lower flow has well developed columnar jointing while the upper flow has closely spaced horizontal fractures. The flow boundary, 1.5 m above creek level, is clearly marked by a red, ropey lava surface on the lower flow.
Significance	Regional. The site is a very clear and safely accessible natural section of a lava sequence occurring on public land. Although thee are extensive lava surfaces in the study region, there are relatively few public accessible examples of flow boundaries. This site is possibly the best example observed that meets the above criteria.
Management	Class 2. The site is robust but environmental quality of the locality is being rapidly degraded by proximity to housing development and deterioration of watery quality in the pool at the cliff base. Building and domestic refuse has been recently dumped over the cliff edge partly obscuring the outcrops. A maintained public reserve is required at the site to ensure the maintenance of site quality. The cliff should be retained in its natural state.

K11

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