S4 Tea Gardens - Newer Volcanics

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	Sunshine - 123180. Former City of Keilor. Western side of Maribyrnong River at northern end of the Tea Gardens.	S4 - Newer Volcanics basalt flow (B) overlying Red Bluff Sands, Tea Gardens, Keilor.
Access	Canning Street.
Ownership	Crown land.
Site Description	Two small abandoned quarries at the base of the valley show excellent and fresh sections in jointed basalt of the Newer Volcanics overlying Red Bluff Sand.
	The basalt have large vesicles and show many flow features in large cavities. The Red Bluff Sand is pale coloured and includes cross bedded sand and grit. The contact with the overlying basalt is clearly exposed in the second quarry where there is a silcrete horizon developed on the upper surface of the Red Bluff Sands.
Significance	Regional. The site is on eof the few readily accessible sections in Newer Volcanics. Although this is the most common rock material of the western suburbs of Melbourne, most sections are exposed in quarries or inaccessible valley slopes on private property. The Tea Gardens section is therefore important for the range of lava structures exposed, the clear exposure of the contact with the underlying sands, and the ease of safe public access to the site. The basalt contact with the silcrete and underlying Red Bluff Sands is the best such exposure in the metropolitan area.
Management	Class 2. The site should be regarded as an important natural history feature of the Tea Gardens and kept accessible and visible. There is no need to fill or reclaim the site or screen it with plantings. Landscaping of the area should be designed to maintain the clear exposure of the basalt faces.

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