Dog Rocks

Several of us met the Green Corps team at Batesford this morning, and went for a walk with them through a wonderful, privately owned, bush block on the Moorabool River. The Green Corps has been weeding prior to a walking track being put in place by the City of Greater Geelong–one day we'll be able to walk from Batesford to Fyansford where the Moorabool joins the Barwon River, and then follow the river on to ocean at Barwon Heads. We can dream, but there are plans in place and the path already exists in places.

We were at Batesford to encourage the young Green Team members to observe and record the birds they see as they work. We saw Dusky Woodswallows, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, Red-browed Firetails, Rufous Whistlers and lots of lorikeets. There were a lots of birds flying between the big old Yellow Gums and Red Gums and the understorey of small shrubs.

This particular bush is in an area called Dog Rocks, a very interesting area geologically speaking. The Dog Rocks are Late Devonian granite (about 350 million years old), formed below the surface in the molten state and then uplifted and exposed. Greenstone (epidiorite) is also a component of these outcrops. It's a very hard, dense, dark-greenish rock and was an important source of axe-head stone for the Aborigines in this area and to trade beyond. And it's because of these rocks that Geelong has a huge portland cement industry. But that's another story.

The first two photos were taken in winter on a neighbouring property which is grazed by sheep, the other two I took this morning from the road. As you can see, it's very very dry here.

Most of the rocks are on private property so it was good to have a chance to get up close and personal.