41. Eaglehawk Creek

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:	617853 to 601873. Eaglehawk Creek Valley, six kilometres west of Toongabbie.	Conglomerate and coarse, cross bedded Cretaceous sandstone - Eaglehawk Creek.
Access:	Road west from Traralgon – Maffra Road near Toongabbie.
Ownership:	Crown Land.
Geology/Geomorphology:	Beds of the Walhalla Group outcrop along Eaglehawk Creek upstream from the ford and in road cuttings. Conglomerates and coarse sandstones of the Lower Cretaceous Tyers Group outcrop on the western side of the Eaglehawk Creek Fault at two localities near the ford. Clear sections of Haunted Hill Gravels and Quaternary alluvium are exposed in channel-side cliffs. The creek valley displays contrasting morphology that is clearly related to variations in lithology and structure. Steep sided valleys and a gorge section with deeply entrenched meanders are developed in the Palaeozoic rocks upstream from the ford. Below the ford, the valley is wider and subject to frequent landslips on the undercut banks in the softer Tertiary sediments.
Significance:	State. The outcrops of the Tyers Group sediments are very important in the study of the stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Mesozoic in Victoria. The clear exposures of the Palaeozoic and Cainozoic materials together with the variations in valley morphology make this an important teaching and research locality.
Management:	Because the best outcrops occur in the channel side cliffs, dam construction which would flood this valley section should be prohibited. Limited quarrying of the Palaeozoic rocks would not affect the significance of the site.
References:	Philip,G.M. 1962. The Jurassic sediments of the Tyers Group, gippsland, Victoria. Proc. R. Soc. Vict., 70, pp. 181-199. Douglas, J.G. 1969. The Mesozoic floras of Victoria, Parts 1 and 2. Mem. geol. surv., 28. Emmett, J. 1974. Geology of the Eaglehawk Creek Area. Univ. Melb. Unpub. B. Sc. (Hons.) thesis.

Sites 8221-40 41 42

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