14. Yallourn Quarry

This information has been developed from the publications:

Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in Central Gippsland (1981) by Neville Rosengren, M.S McRae-Williams and S.M Kraemers,
Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance on the Coast of Port Phillip Bay and in the Catchment of Westernport Bay (1984, 88) by Neville Rosengren.
Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the South Gippsland Marine and Coastal Parks (1989) 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 (external link) section of the Geological Society of Australia website for details of geological heritage reports, and a bibliography.

Location:	437803. Yallourn Readymix Quarry.	Sites 8121-13 14
Access:	Quarry Road via Manuells Road.
Ownership:	Private Land.
Geology/Geomorphology:	The quarry is excavated on five levels exposing sections in prebasaltic sediments (Childers Formation equivalent), Thorpdale Volcanics and Haunted Hills Gravel. Childers Formation equivalent sediments are best exposed at the base of the quarry on the west wall. At this locality coarse unconsolidated sands exhibiting current bedding are interbedded with clays and thin seams of brown coal. The latter contains many large fragments of lignified wood. This formation represents the lower part of the Proteacidites tuberculatus zone which is of early Late Oligocene age. These sediments are overlain by dense non-vesicular olivine basalt (Thorpdale volcanics) which is highly jointed. Semi-vertical joints predominate, although columnar jointing is not well developed. The basalt becomes slightly more vesicular toward the top of the sequence and the vesicles are on occasion filled by carbonate deposits. The basalt is overlain by interbedded sands, clays, and a thin coal seam. The sands are stained brown by limonite which has been leached out along jointlines and has left bleached pipes throughout the upper part of the sandy sequence.
Significance:	Regional. There are few localities within the region where a similar geological sequence is displayed.
Management:	Continued quarrying of the basalt is of benefit to the site as this maintains clear quarry faces and enhances the display of geological features.
References:	Douglas, J.G. and Ferguson, J.A. (eds) 1976. Geology of Victoria. Geological Society of Australia, Special Publication No.5.

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