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8. Barrier Ridges - Barry Beach - Welshpool

This information has been developed from the publication:

  • Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in Central Gippsland (1981) by Neville Rosengren, M.S McRae-Williams and S.M Kraemers
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. Reference should be made to the most recent reports. See the Earth Science Heritage (external link) section of the Geological Society of Australia website for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.


Location:
490170. North-east of Barry Beach.

Image: West Gippsland Sites of Significance
Parallel barrier dunes and swales - Barry Beach to Welshpool. (Arrows indicate trend of ridges and swales.)

Access:
Barry Beach Road.

Ownership:
Private Land.

Geology/Geomorphology:
Several low, parallel widely spaced sand ridges trend north-easterly between Welshpool and Barry Beach. The ridges are of beach and wind blown sands and show leaching and ferruginisation in their upper sections grading to less weathered yellow to orange sand deeper in the profile. Depressions between the dunes are swamps or drained swamps where the leached sands are overlain by darker organic material.

The ridges and depressions are remnants of the barrier system that can be traced from Barry Beach eastward to St. Margaret Island. The barriers are regarded as equivalent to the inner barrier formation of the Gippsland Lakes, e.g. at Sperm Whale Head.

Significance:
Regional. The area is a clear example of the inner barrier formation in the Port Welshpool – Port Albert area.

Management:
The site covers an extensive area and is unlikely to be seriously affected by localised land disturbance. Extensive levelling of ridges and filling of the depressions would destroy the geomorphologically significant features.


Image: West Gippsland Sites of Significance
Older barrier (A), at Barry Beach, overlain by younger dunes. Darker streaks are organic material infilling solution pipes in the older dune deposits.
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