Category Archives: Geology

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →