LOCATION: YARRA 5000/04.12 E21400 N27900 (approximate central position).

ACCESS: Unpaved vehicle tracks from either Main Street, Thomastown (eastern access), Somerset Road and Sarah Street (off Barry Road) (western access).

OWNERSHIP & MUNICIPALITY: Public Land owned by Melbourne Water, also by City of Hume and City of Whittlesea.

SITE DESCRIPTION: The site is the broad erosional basin floored with alluvium and crossed by the meandering channel of Merri Creek (see Introductory Note page 70). The features of special interest are: (a) the development of this broad erosional feature; (b) the small flat-topped hills of Silurian rock (one capped by basalt) not covered by alluvium inside the basin; (c) the meandering course of the Merri Creek and the cut-off meander developing.

SIGNIFICANCE RATING: LOCAL

The basin is an unusual feature in the context of the Merri Creek. Other broad flood basins upstream are a result of the stream being blocked by lava flows and are not erosional in origin.

SITE SENSITIVITY, THREATS, POTENTIAL UTILISATION

CLASS 2. The site is not being damaged by its present disuse. Dense weed growth inhibits access. The major features of the site would be lost if the area was regraded or utilised as a water storage. If the area was utilised as a flood mitigation basin, the major site features would probably survive. The site could be utilised by geological interest groups but has little public utility as a significant site access tracks were cut and maintained.

REFERENCES: None known.

Photograph 36. Meander cutoff channel and former channel at Site 25 in strong flood flow, November 1992 (photo Neville Rosengren).