The Rocking Stone - 'a tottery lump of granite'

The Rocking Stone is located somewhere between Ferntree Gully and Narre Warren. In 1917 the Melbourne Walking Club (1) made three attempts to locate this natural feature. The efforts were reported in the Weekly Times. The short reports are transcribed below.

  

The Rocking Stone. Photographer: Charlie Hammond.

The men are identified as Fred Swords and Cr Robert Kerr on the right.

They are both referred to in the November 10, 1917 article below.

State Library of Victoria Image H90.72/63. It is dated c. 1900, but it is possibly from 1917.

AN ELUSIVE LAND MARK
Ten members of the Melbourne Walking Club on Sunday last sought the "Rocking Stone" that lies on a hillside somewhere between Ferntree Gully and Narre Warren, and they declare that they would have found it but for the "assistance" offered by a local resident. This is the second attempt the club has made to locate the tottery lump of granite, and the members went armed with the best available information as to its whereabouts. It was against their better judgment that they followed a resident who declared that he knew all about it, and their forebodings were justified, for he gave up the hunt after-wasting their afternoon, and once, more they had to return unsatisfied. Their consolation lay in the fact that they had had a good breezy walk over picturesque country; even if they had not achieved their original aim. A third try will be made on Sunday, November 11, when the elusive rock will be stalked from the Narre Warren side.
Weekly Times, November 3, 1917, see here.

THE ROCKING STONE LOCATED
Last week I described an unsuccessful effort made by members of the Walking Club to locate the Rocking Stone, Sugar Leaf Hill. Mr Fred W. Swords, of Dandenong, writes for the benefit of those who intend making another effort as follows: - "Might I suggest that the walkers come to Dandenong by train on Sunday morning, ariving here from the city at 12 noon. Lunch at one of the local hotels, and then take a back road to the rock - a distance of seven or eight miles. There is a good stiff climb to the top of Sugar Loaf Hill with a very fine view of the surrounding country and away to Westernport. The return journey could be made to Narre Warren or Hallam railway stations, a walk of about eight miles. A train could be caught, arriving at Dandenong at 8 p.m. Cr. Robert H. Kerr, "Aura," is on the adjoining hill and if the secretary of the Walking Club writes to me at once I would arrange for Mr Kerr to provide afternoon tea. If the walkers decide to come to Dandenong, I would act as 'guide and friend,' and carry your camera, for I would have to drive, being incapacitated from walking by rheumatism." Mr Swords' address is c/o "Dandenong Advertiser," Walker street, Dandenong.
Weekly Times, November 10, 1917, see here.

THE ROCKING STONE AGAIN By "ALL ROUND"
The Melbourne Walking Club officials noted with pleasure the generous offer made by Mr F. W. Swords, of Dandenong, in these columns, to lead them to the elusive rocking stone, and advantage would have been taken of it, but that arrangements were already perfected for a trip from Narre Warren. This was carried out on November 11, when eleven members, accompanied by some lady friends, made the excursion. The day was delightful until three o'clock, then a thunderstorm, with haIl, drove the party to the shelter of a hay-shed for half an hour. Lunch was held at a little creek some miles out, and at about five miles from Narre Warren, and about 5½ from Ferntree Gully station, the rocking stone was located on the north-west side of a hill. It is a granite tor, said to contain about 9½ tons, and is so balanced on another mass of stone that It can readily be swayed several inches. In shape it is, as Hamlet remarked of the cloud, "very like a whale." After inspection the walk was resumed to Wellington road, along the Monbulk Valley, and so to the Ferntree Gully station, to catch the evening train home.
Weekly Times, November 17, 1917, see here.

Fred Swords
This information about Fred Swords, who is mentioned in the second and third reports, and his family, publishers of the Dandenong Advertiser, comes from the Weekly Times of January 13, 1934, see here. The Dandenong Advertiser ceased publication in 1959 (1).

NEWSPAPER'S BIRTHDAY
The Dandenong Advertiser celebrated its 60th birthday on January 4. Established by the late James W. Swords in January, 1874, the Advertiser has had a successful career, and was the first newspaper printed in Dandenong, circulating at that time over a big area, including Phillip Island, Hastings, Flinders, the Mornington Peninsula, Bass, Leongatha, Warragul, Emerald, Ferntree Gully, and Cockatoo. On the death of James Swords, the business was carried on by his eldest son, Henry Falkiner Swords, who was later joined by his brother, Frederick Walter Swords, who succeeded to the control of the destinies of the Advertiser on the death of his brother late in 1917. The death of Frederick Walter Swords occurred on July 19, 1923. He bequeathed the business to his wife Joan E. Swords, and his eldest son, James Walter, the present owner. There are two other sons who are connected with the Advertiser, Henry Falkiner, compositor and machinist; and Robt. R. Falkiner, literary representative.

The late James W. Swords came out from the North of Ireland in 1840 on the barque "Theresa," as a writer to the staff of the Port Phillip Gazette. In 1842 he established the Portland Guardian, the first provincial press in the State, and after disposing of it, joined the staff of the Argus in 1846. Later still he left the Argus and established several country newspapers, including the Wahgunyah Watchman, Kilmore Free Press, and the Ballan Reporter. In the latter part of 1873 he went to Dandenong, and it was on this visit that he decided to establish the Dandenong Advertiser. While on the Advertiser, Fred. Swords frequently rode on horseback to Tooradin to catch the boat to Phillip Island, in order to report the Phillip Island Council meetings. He also rode on occasions to Pakenham, Kooweerup and Ferntree Gully.
Weekly Times of January 13, 1934, see here.

Cr Robert Kerr
Robert Hart Kerr, mentioned in the second report, died on October 25, 1944 aged 87. The family property was Aura, in Narre Warren North. This is his obituary.
LONG SERVICE AS COUNCILLOR
Death of Mr. R. H. Kerr
Mr. Robert Hart Kerr, who had been a resident of the Dandenong district for many year died at Cheltenham on Thursday. Born at 236 Collins-street, Melbourne, on May 26, 1857, with his parents, he took up residence at Narre Warren in 1868. He was a member of the Berwick Board of Advice for 23 years. In 1890 he was elected to the Fern Tree Gully Shire council, and represented the South riding for 35 years. During that time he was president on eight occasions, and was absent from only one meeting. He represented the Fern Tree Gully council for 32 years at the annual municipal conference, He was chairman of the Fern Tree Gully and Gembrook Railway Trust for 20 years, and for 58 years was a member of the committee of the Dandenong Agricultural Society. He was responsible for the movement for compulsory registration of motor cars, the introduction of the Pure Foods Act, as well as several important amendments to the Local Government, Act. He was a Justice of the Peace for many years. The funeral will take place to day, leaving W. J. Garnar and Son's parlors, Dandenong, at 10 a.m., for the Boroondara cemetery, Kew.
The Age, October 27, 1944, see here.

Footnotes
(1) Melbourne Walking Club https://www.melbournewalkingclub.org/

(2) Brennan, Niall Chronicles of Dandenong (Hawthorn Press, 1973), p. 137.

A version of this blog post, which I wrote and researched, also appears on my work blog - Casey Cardinia Links to Our Past.

Columnar Basalt at Narre Warren North

Max Thomson, published this photograph of Columnar Basalt at Narre Warren North,  in his book Little Hills 1839-1977. Sadly, these impressive and interesting basalt columns have been destroyed, but I have found some information about them.

Columnar Basalt, north of A'Beckett Road, 1960

Image: Little Hills 1839-1977 compiled by Max Thomson

Information from Little Hills 1839-1977 compiled by Max Thomson on behalf of the State School No.1901 Centenary Committee (Narre Warren North State School Centenary Committee, 1977) pages 45 & 46.

Mr Thomson wrote this about the basalt columns -
On the north side of a'Beckett Road was once a fine example of columnar basalt. The late Mr Crsobie Morrison a well known field naturalist and also editor of "Wild Life and Outdoors' visited the area in 1943. An illustrated article appeared in the magazine later.

Mr Morrison wrote as follows: "On a peaceful dairy farm we found a hole in the hillside by a clump of gum trees and wild cherry, and a wall remaining in parts as true as any mason ever dressed a stone. At the end of the wall was a pillar - an absolutely regular six-sided pillar built in sections as any pillar might be: part of it still standing in its original position, but other sections which fitted accurately and were dressed to the same regular outline lay strewn about the floor of the depression"

"The remains of the wall were particularly striking. The rectangular stone which composed it were enormous; probably it would require half a dozen men to lift one of them. And instead of being laid horizontally, their greatest dimension was vertical. Between them was a mortar almost as hard as the rocks themselves. Whoever said that these were ancient ruins could scarcely be blamed for his conclusion. The similarity to human handiwork is most convincing."

"In spite of their convincing resemblance to the handiwork of man these relics, it seem are examples of Natures' craftsmanship. The rock of which they are composed was once molten lava pouring from some ancient volcano long extinct."

"Their form is sufficient evidence in itself that this was once a thick lava flow, which extended over Narre Warren North and away beyond Berwick."

"Then there is the puzzling 'mortar'. This does not seem to be a general feature of columnar basalt formations. In the case of these ruins it is probably due to the weathering and cementation over very long ages."

"The Sydenham Organ Pipes are a comparatively recent formation - they belong to the Newer Basalt series in Victoria, or Pleistocene age. The Narre Warren North example is Older Basalt, of the Lower Tertiary. Much more time has elapsed here to permit the washing of minerals into cracks between the columns, and the deposition of the minerals out of solution to form a secondary rock that serves as a 'mortar.' It is just what was needed to give the final touch of realism to the spectacular natural phenomenon."

Basalt columns at Bayview Quarry, 1954.

Image courtesy of Narre Warren & District Family History Group, Max Thomson collection.

Original caption: Columnar basalt at old Bayview quarry on the west slope of Bayview Hill 1954.

Information from Early days of Berwick and its surrounding districts - Beaconsfield, Upper Beaconsfield, Harkaway, Narre Warren and Narre Warren North, complied by Norman Beaumont, James Curran and R.H Hughes, 3rd edition (Rotary Club of Berwick, 1979) pages 101 & 102

The book Early Days of Berwick, first published in 1948, has this to say about the columnar basalt -
To geologists, and also of general interest, is the spectacular natural phenomenon which occurs in Cr. George Rae's property, of columnar basalt. This was the subject of a very interesting illustrated article on "Wild Life' magazine of June 1943 , by Mr Crosbie Morrison. "Dr A.V.G James, the recognised authority on the volcanic rock formations of Victoria, sets out that the rock of which this is composed was once molten lava pouring from some ancient volcano, long extinct. Volcanic lavas, on cooling, assume many different forms, and sometimes the flow of lava has remained intact and very thick. The evidence is that this was once a thick lava flow which extended over Narre Warren and away beyond Berwick. As it cooled it formed a solid crust above, beneath, and at the sides and ends of the mass. Solid rock being a poor conductor of heat, the interior cools slowly, once the initial crust has been formed. The outer crust, as it cools, tends to contract, but is not flexible. As it contracts, something has to give way, and the rock, being fine grained and homogeneous, the stresses are distributed evenly through it, so that when it finally gives way, the cracks occur at regular distances in every direction, the final result being, when all the rock is hardened and cooled, a series of hexagonal columns, not all vertical, but extending from the periphery of the molten mass and meeting at the centre."

The Narre Warren North example belongs to the older basalt series of formation in Victoria of the Lower Tertiary Age. The same formation occurs at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, the Tesselated Pavement and Organ Pipes of Southern Tasmania, and the Organ Pipes of Sydenham, Victoria - thus Narre Warren North has a formation of uncommon interest.

Information from Volcanoes: An Introduction to Systematic Geomorphology Volume 6 by Cliff Ollier (Australian National University, 1969) Available on-line at https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/115134/2/b1032284x.pdf

Image: Volcanoes: An Introduction to Systematic Geomorphology Volume 6 by Cliff Ollier 

The top photo is captioned 'Lava Flow at Narre Warren, Victoria, showing lower colonnade with vertical columns, a central entablature, with curved columns and an upper scoriaccous  zone without columns (A.A. Baker)  The photo at the bottom is The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, as mentioned in the Early Days of Berwick book. 

This photo from Cliff Ollier's book referred to above is  the only other reference I could find regarding Columnar Basalt in the Narre Warren area. I don't believe these are the same columns as in the photo above - so there must have been more than one example of the phenomenon in the area. Do any still remain?

When were they destroyed?
Mr Thomson's book, published in 1977, says there was once a fine example of columnar basalt. The photo in his book is dated 1960, so the destruction date range would be sometime between 1960 and 1977. What of the example published in Mr Ollier's book in 1969? I don't know if they still exist, but I doubt it, or when they were destroyed.

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched and which I am quite fond of, first appeared in my work blog Casey Cardinia Links to our Past.