Lerderderg Gorge

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Lerderderg Gorge is in Victoria, Australia. The Lerderderg River which emerges from the Great Dividing Range has cut a deep gorge as it wends toward the southern plains.

1 Location
2 Description
3 Access
4 Ownership
5 Geological description
6 Significance

[edit] Location

37°37'35"S x 144°25'44"E to 37°23'42"S x 144°19'06"E Gorge of Lerderderg River extending from Nolan Gully south to the Lerderderg ford.

[edit] Description

Lerderderg State Park and surrounding Wombat State Forest are north of Bacchus Marsh, around one hour's drive (90km) from Melbourne on the Western Highway. Its myriad tracks, gullies creeks and ridges form a wild, rugged environment enjoyed by bushwalkers, horse riders and mountain bikers. The striking feature of this area is the 300-metre deep gorge that stretches south to the plains of Bacchus Marsh. This forest is still actively logged. Many roads in the Lerderderg State Park are closed between June and the beginning of November as the park is within a water catchment area.

[edit] Access

from the East from Gisborne via Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road and Lerderderg Gorge Road for Mackenzie's Flat picnic area, from the south-west via Myrniong and Mt Blackwood, from the northwest via Greendale-Trentham Road and O'Brien's Road for O'Brien's Crossing.

[edit] Ownership

Crown land (State Forest)

[edit] Geological description

The Lerderderg Gorge is cut by the Lerderderg River into the blocks of the Rowsley, Greendale and Coimadai Faults. Side slopes are commonly of 350 to 400 metres with some vertical rocky cliffs up to 60 m high. The topography of the area is dominated by long narrow ridges and steep secondary spurs, with a high degree of rock outcrop on ridge crests, slopes and stream channels. Lower Ordovician sandstones and mudstones intruded by numerous small quartz veins form the dominant geology. The river decends steeply through boulders along a convoluted course with several steep-sided gooseneck meanders.