LOCATION: CLONBINANE 5000\04.03 E21100 N47000. 10 km N of Craigieburn.

ACCESS: Donovans Road.

OWNERSHIP: Private land, Shire of Whittlesea

SITE DESCRIPTION: Bald Hill is a prominent composite cone of lava and scoria rising almost 100 metres above the base. There is a shallow west-facing crater. A thin lava flow extends a short distance to the east and north and a thick flow extends from the south west corner and covers a wide area to the south and west of the volcano. The volcano erupted on the crest of an existing hill in the Palaeozoic sedimentary bedrock, accounting for the prominence of the present Bald Hill.

SIGNIFICANCE RATING: REGIONAL

Bald Hill is the most conspicuous topographic feature of the volcanic plains of the, Merri Creek catchment. The lavas from the hill determine he topography of the plains and alignment of the valley in the Donnybrook-Wallan area. Bald Hill is an unusual example of eruption point shape being strongly influenced by pre-volcanic topography.

SITE SENSITIVITY, THREATS, POTENTIAL UTILISATION

CLASS 3. The current agricultural land use is compatible with maintaining the geological and geomorphological values of the site. The site would be threatened by smaller farm development or subdivision or quarrying. The summit provides a outstanding panorama of the central and northern parts of the Merri Creek catchment.

REFERENCES:

Hanks, W. 1934, The Tertiary sands and Older Basalt of Coburg, Pascoe Vale, and Campbellfield, Victoria. Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict., 46 Part II, 144-I50.

Photograph 50. Site 36, Bald Hill eruption point. Photo Neville Rosengren approx 1993.

Photograph 51. Site 35, Lava flow at base of Bald Hill, Site 36. Photo Neville Rosengren approx 1993.