<div>The Kati Thanda – Lake Eyre Basin (KT–LEB) covers about 1.2 million square kilometres of outback Australia. Although the basin is sparsely populated and relatively undeveloped it hosts nationally significant environmental and cultural heritage, including unique desert rivers, sweeping arid landscapes, and clusters of major artesian springs. The basin experiences climatic extremes that intermittently cycle between prolonged droughts and massive inland floods, with groundwater resources playing a critical role in supporting the many communities, industries, ecological systems, and thriving First Nations culture of the KT–LEB.</div><div><br></div><div>As part of Geoscience Australia’s National Groundwater Systems Project (in the Exploring for the Future Program) this report brings together contemporary data and information relevant to understanding the regional geology, hydrogeology and groundwater systems of Cenozoic rocks and sediments of the KT–LEB. This work represents the first whole-of-basin assessment into these vitally important shallow groundwater resources, which have previously received far less scientific attention than the deeper groundwater systems of the underlying Eromanga Basin (part of the Great Artesian Basin). The new knowledge and insights about the geology and hydrogeology of the basin generated by this study will benefit the many users of groundwater within the region and will help to improve sustainable management and use of groundwater resources across the KT–LEB.</div><div><br></div>

<div>This report brings together data and information relevant to understanding the regional geology, hydrogeology, and groundwater systems of the South Nicholson – Georgina (SNG) region in the Northern Territory and Queensland. This integrated, basin-scale hydrogeological assessment is part of Geoscience Australia’s National Groundwater Systems project in the Exploring for the Future program. While the northern Georgina Basin has been at the centre of recent investigations as part of studies into the underlying Beetaloo Sub-basin, no regional groundwater assessments have focused on central and southern parts of the Georgina Basin since the 1970s. Similarly, there has been no regional-scale hydrogeological investigation of the deeper South Nicholson Basin, although the paucity of groundwater data limited detailed assessment of the hydrogeology of this basin. This comprehensive desktop study has integrated numerous geoscience and hydrogeological datasets to develop a new whole-of-basin conceptualisation of groundwater flow systems and recharge and discharge processes within the regional unconfined aquifers of the Georgina Basin.</div><div><br></div><div>Key outputs arising from this study include: (1) the development of a hydrostratigraphic framework for the region, incorporating improved aquifer attribution for over 5,000 bores; and (2) publicly available basin-scale groundwater GIS data layers and maps, including a regional watertable map for the whole Georgina Basin. This regional assessment provides new insights into the hydrogeological characteristics and groundwater flow dynamics within the Georgina Basin, which can aid in the sustainable management of groundwater for current and future users reliant on this critical water resource.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>