Category Archives: Geology

Colours from an ancient ocean

There are many sites around the Castlemaine area where 19th Century gold miners have removed all traces of soil in a process called ‘ground sluicing’. A blight upon the environment, but also, a wonderful opportunity to take a peek at … Continue reading

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Signs of the ancient and dynamic Earth

The mysterious sandstone layers of Castlemaine and Chewton are one of the most defining characteristics of the local bush. Like the bones of some ancient earthly animal, they form a pattern of upstanding ribs that hold clues to the land’s … Continue reading

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The Cascades: sculpture park or work of nature?

The Cascades at Metcalfe – is this a sculpture park or a work of nature? The answer is obvious but you would be forgiven for thinking the former. Here at this mesmerising stretch of the Coliban River, organic curves and … Continue reading

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Mind-boggling force, rocks that bend

Some people think the world is a messed-up place. I prefer to stay optimistic but, I have to admit, when it comes to the rocks beneath our feet, it’s a pretty accurate view. These anticlines are just a selection of … Continue reading

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Looking down into the distant past

Geology creeps into everyday life in the sneakiest ways. Take Castlemaine’s gutters and buildings; they exhibit a gallery of local rocks. At Stonemans Bookroom corner, deep gutters are paved with sandstone blocks and a dash of Harcourt granite along the … Continue reading

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New Year fireworks 110,000 BC: Lalgambook!

Mt Franklin, or Lalgambook, is a volcanic scoria cone with a wonderfully preserved crater. Lalgambook was once thought to be 470,000 years old but a more accurate and surprising date was published in 2013; it turns out to be amongst … Continue reading

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Liquid gold!

Quartz Hill is the site of some of the earliest reef mining in the Castlemaine area. Just 2km north of Chewton, it was one of a handful of huge quartz outcrops that demanded miners’ attention. The problem is not all … Continue reading

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Guildford Plateau – an upside-down landscape

We don’t often see mesa-like hills in Victoria but the Guildford Plateau is a wonderful example. The story starts around 40 million years ago when the ancient Loddon River carved its way from the Glenlyon headwaters. This was a vigorous … Continue reading

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What? Rainforest valleys at Guildford?

Ordinary looking rocks can tell some amazing stories: that’s the magic of geology. We’ve asked geologist Clive Willman to write an occasional series of posts on what the stones of our region are telling us. This is his first: The … Continue reading

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