Coast and Caves Precinct.

 

Cape Bridgewater situated 18 km from Portland and overlooking beautiful Bridgewater Bay was once a volcanic Island. About 8,000 years ago, rising sea levels built a bridge of sand dunes between Cape Bridgewater Volcanic Island and the mainland.

 

Overtime rainfall and groundwater have hardened these into dunes of sandy limestone. Water percolating through the limestone has created a variety of formations including the Petrified Forest, Limestone caves, fresh water springs and flowstone. These are some of the natural features of the area which can be observed in volcanic walks. The coastal cliffs of Cape Bridgewater are among the highest on the Victorian Coast and display remnants of volcanic action including lava pipes and caves. An Australian Fur Seal Colony living in the caves can be viewed by boat tour or by completing a two hour return walk. 

 

Mount Richmond is an extinct volcano surrounded by low, flat land. Mount Richmond consists not of basalt but of porous rock called tuff, which was formed when the volcanic ash gradually hardened over two million years ago. Apart from the occasional outcrops of basalt near the summit, the volcanic geology is almost entirely buried by dune limestone and sand blown inland long ago from Discovery Bay. Noted for its flora and fauna, the park is covered with forest, open heath and scattered swamps. Various walks and picnic areas are available.

 

More than 30,000 years ago the ground around “Budj Bim” today known as Mount Eccles, erupted and rumbled with lava flows branching out to the west and being distributed along canal to the surrounding area. Large wetlands were created from these lava flows to an area known as Lake Condah where the local Gunditjmara people harvested eels and fish. They used the stones of the lava flow to construct elaborate channels, weirs , fish-traps , wind breaks and stone huts. Tours can be arranged through the Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation in Heywood. It is an area of local and national significance as it is considered to be Australia's earliest and largest aquaculture venture and the only place in Australia where Koori people built permanent stone houses.

The Bunj Bim National Heritage Landscape was Heritage Listed in 2004.

KANAWINKA GEOPARK

South Western Victoria and South Eastern South Australia