Indigenous brown coals, which provide a readily available primary energy source, have played a significant part in the industrial development of Victoria. The deposits located in the Latrobe Valley compare in extent with other major deposits of brown coal in the world._x000D_
Smaller but valuable deposits occur at Stradbroke, Gelliondale, Anglesea and Bacchus Marsh. Extensive drilling, aided by geophysical surveys, and detailed analyses of coal samples, have enabled the extent and quality of these Tertiary deposits to be Defined.