One page article discussing aspects of Australian stratigraphy; this article discusses practical Australian solutions to igneous nomenclature and the indexing of relevant Antarctic units

Discussion of available stratigraphic resources: the Australian Stratigraphic Units Database (ASUD); documentation of procedures for modifying existing units or establishing new ones; contact details for the Australian Stratigraphy Commission members and ASUD staff. Suggestions on ways of raising awareness through modern media such as a podcast or app, and a request for feedback on what sort of approach might appeal to a university student audience.

The advent of Chemical Abrasion-Isotope Dilution Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (CA-IDTIMS) has revolutionised U-Pb dating of zircon, and the enhanced precision of eruption ages determined on volcanic layers within basin successions permits an improved calibration of biostratigraphic schemes to the numerical timescale. The Guadalupian and Lopingian (Permian) successions in the Sydney, Gunnedah, Bowen and Canning basins are mostly non-marine and include numerous airfall tuff units, many of which contain zircon. The eastern Australian palynostratigraphic scheme provides the basis for much of the local correlation, but the present calibration of this scheme against the numerical timescale depends on a correlation to Western Australia, using rare ammonoids and conodonts in that succession to link to the standard global marine biostratigraphic scheme. High-precision U¿Pb zircon dating of tuff layers via CA-IDTIMS allows this tenuous correlation to be circumvented¿the resulting direct calibration of the palynostratigraphy to the numerical timescale highlights significant inaccuracies in the previous indirect correlation. The new data show: the top of the Praecolpatites sinuosus (APP3.2) Zone lies in the early Roadian, not the middle Kungurian; the top of the Microbaculispora villosa (APP3.3) Zone lies in the middle Roadian, not the early Roadian; the top of the Dulhuntyispora granulata (APP4.1) Zone lies in the Wordian, not in the latest Roadian; the top of the Didecitriletes ericianus (APP4.2) Zone lies in the first half of the Wuchiapingian, not the latest Wordian; the Dulhuntyispora dulhuntyi (APP4.3) Zone is exceptionally short and lies within the Wuchiapingian, not the early Capitanian; and the top of the Dulhuntyispora parvithola (APP5) Zone lies at or near the Permo-Triassic boundary, not in the latest Wuchiapingian.

The upper Permian to Lower Triassic sedimentary succession in the southern Bonaparte Basin represents an extensive marginal marine depositional system that hosts several gas accumulations. Of these, the Blacktip gas field has been in production since 2009, while additional identified gas resources are under consideration for development. The sedimentary succession extends across the Permian–Triassic stratigraphic boundary, and shows a change in lithofacies changes from the carbonate dominated Dombey Formation to the siliciclastic dominated Tern and Penguin formations. The timing, duration, distribution and depositional environments of these formations in the Petrel Sub-basin and Londonderry High is the focus of this study. The sedimentary succession extending from the Dombey to the Penguin formations is interpreted to represent marginal marine facies which accumulated during a long-lasting marine transgression that extended over previous coastal and alluvial plain sediments of the Cape Hay Formation. The overlying Mairmull Formation represents the transition fully to marine deposition in the Early Triassic. Regional scale well correlations and an assessment of available biostratigraphic data suggest marginal marine deposition systems were initiated outboard before the End Permian Extinction event, subsequently migrated inboard at about the Permian–Triassic stratigraphic boundary, and continued to be deposited through the faunal and floral recovery phase as Triassic species became established. The depositional history of the basin is translated to a chronostratigraphic framework which has implications for predicting the character and distribution of petroleum system elements in the Petrel Sub-basin and Londonderry High. Appeared in The APPEA Journal 61(2) 699-706, 2 July 2021

To test existing geological interpretations and the regional stratigraphic relationships of the Carrara Sub-basin with adjacent resource-rich provinces, the deep stratigraphic drill hole NDI Carrara 1 was located on the western flanks of the Carrara Sub-basin, on the seismic line 17GA-SN1. The recovery of high quality near-continuous core from the Carrara Sub-basin, in concert with the spectrum of baseline analytical work being conducted by Geoscience Australia through the EFTF program, as well as other work by government and university researchers is greatly improving our understanding of this new basin. While recently published geochemistry baseline datasets have provided valuable insight into the Carrara Sub-basin, the age of the sedimentary rocks intersected by NDI Carrara 1 and their chronostratigraphic relationships with adjacent resource rich regions has remained an outstanding question. In this contribution, we present new sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) geochronology results from NDI Carrara 1 and establish regional stratigraphic correlations to better understand the energy and base-metal resource potential of this exciting frontier basin in northern Australia.

This Perth Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus. The Perth Basin is a complex geological region extending along Australia's southwest margin for about 1,300 km. It comprises sub-basins, troughs, terraces, and shelves, hosting sedimentary rocks with coal, oil, gas, and significant groundwater resources. Off the coast of Western Australia, it reaches depths of up to 4,500 m, while its onshore part extends up to 90 km inland. The basin is bounded by the Yilgarn Craton to the east, and the Carnarvon and Bremer basins to the north and south. The basin's history involves two main rifting phases in the Permian and Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, creating 15 sub-basins with varying sedimentary thickness due to compartmentalization and fault reactivation. The sedimentary succession mainly comprises fluviatile Permian to Early Cretaceous rocks over Archean and Proterozoic basement blocks. Differences exist between northern and southern sequences, with the south being continental and the north featuring marine deposits. During the Permian, faulting and clastic sedimentation dominated, with marine transgressions in the north and continental rocks in the south. The Triassic saw a similar pattern, with the southern succession being continental and the northern succession showing marine deposits. The Kockatea Shale became a primary hydrocarbon source. The Jurassic period witnessed marine incursions in the central basin, while the Late Jurassic experienced sea level regression and deposition of the Yarragadee Formation. The Cretaceous saw the formation of the Early Cretaceous Parmelia Group due to heavy tectonic activity. The southern basin had a marine transgression leading to the Warnbro Group's deposition with valuable groundwater resources. Post-Cretaceous, Cenozoic deposits covered the basin with varying thicknesses. Overall, the Perth Basin's geological history reveals a diverse sedimentary record with economic and resource significance.

This Carnarvon Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus. The Carnarvon Basin is a large sedimentary basin covering the western and north-western coast of Western Australia, stretching over 1,000 km from Geraldton to Karratha. It is predominantly offshore, with over 80% of the basin located in water depths of up to 4,500 m. The basin is elongated north to south and connects to the Perth Basin in the south and the offshore Canning Basin in the north-east. It is underlain by Precambrian crystalline basement rocks. The Carnarvon Basin consists of two distinct parts. The southern portion comprises onshore sub-basins with mainly Paleozoic sedimentary rocks extending up to 300 km inland, while the northern section consists of offshore sub-basins containing Mesozoic, Cenozoic, and Paleozoic sequences. The geological evolution of the Southern Carnarvon Basin was shaped by multiple extensional episodes related to the breakup of Gondwana and reactivation of Archean and Proterozoic structures. The collision between Australia and Eurasia in the Mid-Miocene caused significant fault reactivation and inversion. The onshore region experienced arid conditions, leading to the formation of calcrete, followed by alluvial and eolian deposition and continued calcareous deposition offshore. The Northern Carnarvon Basin contains up to 15,000 m of sedimentary infill, primarily composed of siliciclastic deltaic to marine sediments from the Triassic to Early Cretaceous and shelf carbonates from the Mid-Cretaceous to Cenozoic. The basin is a significant hydrocarbon province, with most of the resources found within Upper Triassic, Jurassic, and Lower Cretaceous sandstone reservoirs. The basin's development occurred during four successive periods of extension and thermal subsidence, resulting in the formation of various sub-basins and structural highs. Overall, the Carnarvon Basin is a geologically complex region with a rich sedimentary history and significant hydrocarbon resources. Exploration drilling has been ongoing since 1953, with numerous wells drilled to unlock its hydrocarbon potential.

This Maryborough-Nambour Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus. The Maryborough Basin is a half-graben intracratonic sag basin mainly filled with Early Cretaceous rocks, overlain by up to 100 m of Cenozoic sediments. It adjoins the older Nambour Basin to the south, comprising Triassic to Jurassic rocks. The boundary between the basins has shifted due to changes in sedimentary unit classifications, with the Cretaceous units now restricted to the Maryborough Basin and Jurassic and older units assigned to the Nambour Basin. Both basins are bounded to the west and unconformably overlies older Permian and Triassic rocks in the Gympie Province and Wandilla Province of the New England Orogen. In the south of the Nambour Basin, it partly overlaps with the Triassic Ipswich Basin. The Nambour Basin in the south is primarily composed of the Nambour Formation, with interbedded conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, shale, and minor coal. Overlying this is the Landsborough Sandstone, a unit with continental, fluviatile sediments and a thickness of up to 450 m. In the north, the Duckinwilla Group contains the Myrtle Creek Sandstone and the Tiaro Coal Measures, which were formerly considered part of the Maryborough Basin but are now associated with the northern Nambour Basin. In contrast, the Maryborough Basin consists of three main Cretaceous units and an upper Cenozoic unit. The Grahams Creek Formation is the deepest, featuring terrestrial volcanic rocks, volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks, and minor pyroclastic rocks. The overlying Maryborough Formation was deposited in a continental environment with subsequent marine incursion and includes mudstone, siltstone, minor sandstone, limestone, conglomerate, and tuff. The upper Cretaceous unit is the Burrum Coal Measures, comprising interbedded sedimentary rocks deposited in fluvial to deltaic environments. The uppermost unit, the Eocene to Miocene Elliott Formation, includes sandstone, siltstone, conglomerate, and shale deposited in fluvial to deltaic environments. Cenozoic sediments overlying the Elliott Formation consist of Quaternary alluvium, coastal deposits, and sand islands like Fraser Island, influenced by eustatic sea level variations. Volcanic deposits and freshwater sediments also occur in some areas. Adjacent basins, such as the Clarence-Moreton Basin and Capricorn Basin, have stratigraphic correlations with the Maryborough Basin. The Oxley Basin lies to the south, overlying the Ipswich Basin. In summary, the Maryborough Basin and the older Nambour Basin exhibit distinct geological characteristics, with varying rock formations, ages, and sedimentary features, contributing to the diverse landscape of the region.

This Surat Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus. The Surat Basin is a sedimentary basin with approximately 2500 m of clastic fluvial, estuarine, coastal plain, and shallow marine sedimentary rocks, including sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, and coal. Deposition occurred over six cycles from the Early Jurassic to the Cretaceous, influenced by eustatic sea-level changes. Each cycle lasted 10 to 20 million years, ending around the mid-Cretaceous. Bounded by the Auburn Arch to the northeast and the New England Orogen to the southeast, it connects to the Clarence-Moreton Basin through the Kumbarilla Ridge. The Central Fold Belt forms its southern edge, while Cenozoic uplift caused erosion in the north. The basin's architecture is influenced by pre-existing faults and folds in the underlying Bowen Basin and the nature of the basement rocks from underlying orogenic complexes. Notable features include the north-trending Mimosa Syncline and Boomi Trough, overlying the deeper Taroom Trough of the Bowen Basin and extending southwards. The Surat Basin overlies older Permian to Triassic sedimentary basins like the Bowen and Gunnedah Basins, unconformably resting on various older basement rock terranes, such as the Lachlan Orogen, New England Orogen, and Thomson Orogen. Several Palaeozoic basement highs mark its boundaries, including the Eulo-Nebine Ridge in the west and the Kumbarilla Ridge in the east. Paleogene to Neogene sediments, like those from the Glendower Formation, cover parts of the Surat Basin. Remnant pediments and Cenozoic palaeovalleys incised into the basin have added complexity to its geological history and may influence aquifer connections. Overall, the Surat Basin's geological history is characterized by millions of years of sedimentation, tectonic activity, and erosion, contributing to its geological diversity and economic significance as a source of natural resources, including coal and natural gas.

This Carpentaria Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus. The Carpentaria Basin is a vast intra-cratonic sedimentary basin situated on and offshore in north-eastern Australia, covering around 550,000 square kilometres across Queensland and the Northern Territory. It comprises predominantly sandstone-rich rock units deposited during sea level highs from the Late Jurassic to Mid Cretaceous. The basin overlies a heterogeneous Proterozoic basement and is separated from contemporaneous sedimentary structures by basement highs and inliers. Four main depocentres within the larger Carpentaria Basin form four major sub-basins: the Western Gulf Sub-basin, Staaten Sub-basin, Weipa Sub-basin, and Boomara Sub-basin. While the basin is extensive and continuous in Queensland, it becomes more heterogeneous and discontinuous in the Northern Territory. Remnants of the basin's stratigraphy, referred to as the Dunmarra Basin, are found along the Northern Territory coast and inland. The depositional history commenced during the Jurassic with down warping near Cape York Peninsula, resulting in the Helby beds and Albany Pass beds' concurrent deposition. The basin experienced marine transgressions during the Cretaceous, with the Gilbert River Formation widespread and the Wallumbilla Formation occurring during sea level highs. The Carpentaria Basin's strata are relatively undeformed and unmetamorphosed. The Northern Territory sequence displays slightly different stratigraphy, limited to the height of the Aptian marine transgression above the Georgina Basin. The Walker River Formation and Yirrkala Formation represent key units in this area, outcropping as tablelands and mesas largely unaffected by tectonism.