3. Merriman Creek - Seaspray

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:	143540 to 159517. Valley and delta of Merriman Creek from Giffard Road bridge to Seaspray.	Merriman Creek delta, Seaspray. Braided stream channel and gullies in older sandy delta deposits.
Access:	Seaspray-Sale Road and Seaspray-Giffard Road.
Ownership:	Mainly private land.
Geology/Geomorphology:	The lower valley of Merriman Creek is incised into the coastal terrace north-west of Seaspray and is bordered by valley-side bluffs. These merge with the former coastal bluff near Seaspray. The creek has built a delta across the former lagoon between the coastal bluff and the outer barrier and has incised the sandy flood-plain materials near the Giffard Road Bridge. There are several abandoned channels of the creek below the bridge and extensive gullying occurs on minor tributaries that drain into these. During floods, the creek delivers predominantly sandy material into the delta and lagoon zone.
Significance:	Regional. This is one of the few ocean coast river deltas in Gippsland. The high percentage of sandy rather than silty materials is unusual in deltaic deposits.
Management:	The main consideration must be to devise a method of dispersing flood waters which cause serious damage in Seaspray. The geomorphological features of interest at this site are unlikely to be seriously disturbed by such work.
References:	Bird, E.C.F., (1977): Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the Victorian Coastal Region. Town and Country Planning Board. Gill, E.D., (1967): The dynamics of the shore platform process and its relation to changes to sea level. Proc. R. Soc. Vict., 80, pp183-192.

Sites of Geological & Geomorphological Significance - Figure 18

Sites 8321-1 to 4

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