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Royal Park Railway Cuttings ML42, 69
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(Melbourne 1:250 000 geological map)
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| A successful example of vegetation and geological co-operation! (Melbourne 1:250 000 geological map) |
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| Two railway cuttings in Royal Park (ML 42 & 69) clearly display the nature and relationship of Palaeozoic and Tertiary sediments in the Melbourne region, and are traditional teaching sites for earth science in Melbourne. |
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| In the southwest cutting, Tertiary sandstone unconformably overlies very weathered Miocene basalt of the Older Volcanic Group. The clayey sandstone immediately above the basalt contains middle Miocene bivalves and gastropods. These middle Miocene rocks are overlain disconformably by cross-bedded coarse sandstone containing a few late Miocene – early Pliocene bivalves and gastropods as well as leaves and fruit. The site displays palaeo-landsurfaces, weathering, an unconformity and fossils that demonstrate the regional geological relationships (Singleton, 1923; Joyce & King, 1980; Schleiger, 1995). |
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| The southern site (ML 69) was assessed as needing revegetation and has had appropriate planting along the base of the cutting. The problems faced by the revegetation program included not obscuring the rock face, the narrowness of the site, steepness of the cutting, old railway ballast dumped along the base of the cutting and the presence of a rare lizard, White’s Skink, requiring appropriate habitat construction. There was a need for the site to have easy planting procedures to utilise community planting programs and low long-term maintenance. |
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| The planning involved liaison with the geological community resulting in low maintenance, easily planted Poa and Dianella species being used which complemented the geological formation. Very few trees were used and the effect is most successful. |
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| Congratulations to the park management! |
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| For more on Royal Park, see the City of Melbourne Guide, or Wikipedia, which includes links to maps. |
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