Further along the circuit of "The Shoalhaven"

This story continues the Shoalhaven "circuit" story I started yesterday.

Referring back to the map I posted yesterday, this at the point marked "E" on that map.
These shots show different aspects of the same road cutting - about 3oo metres long. It is in the Windellama area (south from there, actually - but that is the closest landmark). It is on the Oallen Ford Road.

The geology of this area, which is not far from the famed Bungonia State Conservation area, and the Bungonia Gorge. That area is famous for its limestone patches, and resultant gorges and even some caves. But this area is showing some remarkable geology itself. I am not a geologist, but I recognise odd formations when I come across them - in this case, thanks to the roadworks which have exposed them,

The hillside starts with yellowish rocks, probably with a trace of ochre. Then is goes to grey, then almost white, then back again (as you look the other direction), up the hill.

Windellama - Oallen Ford Road cutting looking down hill

Windellama - Oallen Ford Road cutting looking up hill

Here you can see this very fine and soft layered rock. It looks to me like a soft shale. My friend Celeste told me it could well be used for porcelain clay.

Fine shards of layered rock

The rock is so soft it breaks up in one's hand leaving a fine powder.

This small area is apparently an old creek bed, filled with coarse river gravel

You also find this fine shale - layered fragments - obviously sedimentary rocks

Again, referring back to the map from yesterday, this is the point marked "G" on that map - just east from Nerriga.

This is the southern end of the "Sydney Sandstone" formation which runs from the Blue Mountains, to Sydney itself, the Illawarra Plateau and down south and west from Nowra to this point. Technically there are different sandstone formations within that huge area, but in general terms its not far wrong. This photo is taken looking south-east, from a point east of Nerriga. The Endrick River is at the near base of these cliffs. You cross the river, then go up Bulee Gap. The RTA has some signs to commemorate this pass as having been used as the historic "Wool Road" to export wool from the Southen Tablelands, via Jervis Bay.

Beehive formations on Bulee Gap

In this case these "Beehive formations" are very similar to the "Pagoda formations" in the Garden of Stone, north from Lithgow. Both are on the western side of the Escarpment. The rocks are very ancient formations and very eroded. So they do not give the same clean cliff lines that one associated with the Katoomba area, or locally, at Fitzroy Falls, or Tianjara Falls (which are not far from these formations, the other side of the hill, below Sassafras).

Blogger's photo uploading facility is still playing up, so more in a few days time.