Exploring for the Future (EFTF) is an Australian Government program led by Geoscience Australia, in partnership with state and Northern Territory governments. The first phase of the EFTF program (2016-2020) aimed to drive industry investment in resource exploration in frontier regions of northern Australia by providing new precompetitive data and information about their energy, mineral and groundwater resource potential (Carr et al 2018). The South Nicholson Basin and immediate surrounding region is situated between Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Mount Isa Province and McArthur Basin. Both the Mount Isa Province and McArthur Basin are well studied. By contrast, the adjacent South Nicholson region is less studied, and contains rocks that are mostly undercover, for which the basin evolution and resource potential is not well understood. To address this gap, the L210 South Nicholson Deep Crustal Seismic Survey was collected in 2017 in the region between the southern McArthur Basin to the Mount Isa western succession, crossing the South Nicholson Basin and Murphy Province, providing a fundamental data link across these regions (L210 South Nicholson Deep Crustal Seismic Reflection Survey). The primary aim of the survey was to investigate areas with a low measured gravity response in the region to determine whether they represent thick basin sequences, as is the case for the nearby prospective Beetaloo Sub-basin. The interpretation of this survey led to the discovery of a new basin, the Carrara Sub-basin, coinciding with a gravity low in the south-eastern South Nicholson Basin Region. This data set contains an exported set of XYZ points from interpreted horizons (Carr et al 2019) on the South Nicholson Seismic Survey (L210) in both two way time (TWT ms on PreSTM_17ga lines) and depth (m) re-interpreted on depth indexed PreSDM_17GA lines. The coordinate reference system for this dataset is WGS 1984 Australian Centre for Remote Sensing Lambert. Seismic reference datum is 350 m. The seismic reference datum are described in the EBCDIC headers of the SEGY files for each of the survey lines. Carr, L.K., Southby, C., Henson, P., Costello, R., Anderson, J.R., Jarrett, A.J M., Carson, C.J., Gorton, J., Hutton, L.J., Troup, A., Williams, B., Khider, K., Bailey, A. & Fomin, T. 2019. Exploring for the Future: South Nicholson Basin geological summary and seismic interpretation. Record 2019/21, Geoscience Australia, Canberra. http://dx.doi.org/10.11636/Record.2019.021 Carr, L.K., Southby, C., Henson, P., Anderson, J.R., Costelloe, R., Jarrett, A.J.M., Carson, C.J., MacFarlane, S.K., Gorton, J., Hutton, L., Troup, A, Williams, B., Khider, K., Bailey, A.H.E., Fomin, T. 2020. South Nicholson Basin seismic interpretation. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. http://dx.doi.org/10.11636/132029 L210 South Nicholson Deep Crustal Seismic Reflection Survey, NT and QLD, 2017. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/116881.

Exploring for the Future (EFTF) is a four-year $100.5 million initiative by the Australian Government conducted by Geoscience Australia in partnership with state and Northern Territory government agencies, CSIRO and universities to provide new geoscientific datasets for frontier regions. As part of this program, Geoscience Australia acquired two new seismic surveys that collectively extend across the South Nicholson Basin (L120 South Nicholson seismic line) and into the Beetaloo Sub-basin of the McArthur Basin (L212 Barkly seismic line). Interpretation of the seismic has resulted in the discovery of new basins that both contain a significant section of presumed Proterozoic strata. Integration of the seismic results with petroleum and mineral systems geochemistry, structural analyses, geochronology, rock properties and a petroleum systems model has expanded the knowledge of the region for energy and mineral resources exploration. These datasets are available through Geoscience Australia’s newly developed Data Discovery Portal, an online platform delivering digital geoscientific information, including seismic locations and cross-section images, and field site and well-based sample data. Specifically for the EFTF Energy project, a petroleum systems framework with supporting organic geochemical data has been built to access source rock, crude oil and natural gas datasets via interactive maps, graphs and analytical tools that enable the user to gain a better and faster understanding of a basin’s petroleum prospectivity. <b>Citation:</b> Henson Paul, Robinson David, Carr Lidena, Edwards Dianne S., MacFarlane Susannah K., Jarrett Amber J. M., Bailey Adam H. E. (2020) Exploring for the Future—a new oil and gas frontier in northern Australia. <i>The APPEA Journal</i><b> 60</b>, 703-711. https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ19080

<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>

The first phase of the Australian Government's Exploring for the Future (EFTF) was a multi-year (2016-2020) $100.5 million initiative to increase northern Australia's desirability as a destination for industry investment to stimulate ‘greenfield’ resource exploration. In order to support this fundamental objective of the EFTF program, Geoscience Australia conducted acquisition of a diverse range of new precompetitive datasets across northern Australia, focussing on regions of unrecognised mineral, energy and groundwater resource potential. The Barkly 2D Deep Crustal Reflection Seismic Survey (L212) was acquired in 2019 as a major objective of the EFTF program in partnership with, and co-funded by, the NT Government under the Resourcing the Territory initiative. The Barkly Seismic Survey extends from the newly discovered Carrara Sub-basin in the South Nicholson Basin region to the south-eastern margins of the Beetaloo Sub-basin (Fomin, T., et al. 2019). The Barkly Seismic Survey images interpreted Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic successions extending from the Carrara Sub-basin to the highly prospective Beetaloo Sub-basin of the McArthur Basin. These successions are concealed by a persistent cover of up to 600 m of Paleozoic Georgina Basin sediments. Interpretation of the Barkly Seismic Survey established three informal geological domains, each defined by structural elements and/or basin characteristics (Southby et al, 2021). This data set contains an exported set of XYZ points from interpreted horizons (Southby et al 2022,) on the Barkly Seismic Survey (L212) in both two way time (TWT ms on PreSTM_19ga lines) and depth (m) re-interpreted on depth indexed PreSDM_19GA lines. The coordinate reference system for this dataset is WGS 1984 Australian Centre for Remote Sensing Lambert. Seismic reference datum is 350 m. The seismic reference datum are described in the EBCDIC headers of the SEGY files for each of the survey lines. Fomin, T., Costelloe, R.D., Holzschuh, J. 2019. L212 Barkly 2D Seismic Survey. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/132890 Southby, C., Rollet, N., Carson, C., Carr, L., Henson, P., Fomin, T., Costelloe, R., Doublier, M., Close, D. 2021. The Exploring for the Future 2019 Barkly Reflection Seismic Survey: Key discoveries and implication for resources. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/145107 Southby, C., Carson, C.J., Fomin, T., Rollet, N., Henson, P.A., Carr, L.K., Doublier, M.P., Close, D. 2022. Exploring for the Future - The 2019 Barkly Reflection Seismic Survey (L212). RECORD: 2022/009. Geoscience Australia, Canberra. http://dx.doi.org/10.11636/Record.2022.009

<div>NDI Carrara 1 is a 1750 m stratigraphic drill hole completed in 2020 as part of the MinEx CRC National Drilling Initiative (NDI) in collaboration with Geoscience Australia under the Exploring for the Future program and the Northern Territory Geological Survey. It is the first stratigraphic test of the Carrara Sub-basin, a recently discovered depocentre in the South Nicholson region. The drill hole intersected Cambrian and Proterozoic sediments consisting of organic-rich black shales and a thick sequence of interbedded black shales and silty sandstones with hydrocarbon shows. A comprehensive analytical program carried out by Geoscience Australia on the recovered core samples from 283 m to total depth at 1751&nbsp;m provides critical data for calibration of burial and thermal history modelling.</div><div>Using data from this drilling campaign, burial and thermal history modelling was undertaken to provide an estimate of the time-temperature maxima that the sub-basin has experienced, contributing to an understanding of hydrocarbon maturity. Proxy kerogen kinetics are assessed to estimate the petroleum prospectivity of the sub-basin and attempt to understand the timing and nature of hydrocarbon generation. Combined, these newly modelled data provide insights into the resource potential of this frontier Proterozoic hydrocarbon province, delivering foundational data to support explorers across the eastern Northern Territory and northwest Queensland.</div> <b>Citation:</b> Palu Tehani J., Grosjean Emmanuelle, Wang Liuqi, Boreham Christopher J., Bailey Adam H. E. (2023) Thermal history of the Carrara Sub-basin: insights from modelling of the NDI Carrara 1 drill hole. <i>The APPEA Journal</i><b> 63</b>, S263-S268. https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ22048

<p>This Record presents the results of 26 new zircon U-Pb isotopic analyses, conducted on Geoscience Australia’s Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe (SHRIMP2e), under the Commonwealth Government’s Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program, a $100.5 million, four year, initiative to better understand the mineral, energy and groundwater potential across northern Australia. <p>These new data, determined on sedimentary and volcanic rocks, were collected from across the South Nicholson region, located in the north-eastern Northern Territory. The South Nicholson region is geographically located between two highly prospective geological provinces, the greater McArthur Basin in the Northern Territory and the Mount Isa Province in Queensland, regions noted for their hydrocarbon potential and world-class base-metal endowment. <p>The South Nicholson region has been sparsely investigated by modern geological investigations, and, as such, these new SHRIMP U-Pb data, in concert with other complementary EFTF geochronological, geochemical and geophysical datasets from the region (e.g. Anderson et al., 2019; Carr et al., 2019; Ley-Cooper and Brodie, 2019; Jarrett et al., 2019) will place important geological constraints on the geological evolution, the timing of deposition, sedimentary processes, basin architecture and evolution of the South Nicholson region and, arguably most significantly, provide new improved lithostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic correlations with the adjacent highly prospective Proterozoic Basins. <p>Such geological correlations are critical for reducing exploration risk, improve resource prospectivity and enabling targeted ‘greenfield’ resource exploration activities, a tangible key objective under the Exploring for the Future initiative.

<p>In this study, a total of 53 surface outcrop samples were analysed for both inorganic and organic whole-rock geochemistry as part of Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program, a government initiative undertaken by the Australian Government to boost investment in resource exploration and development in northern Australia. The samples were collected during two EFTF funded field seasons conducted in May 2017 (18 samples, GA job number 33004) and May 2018 (35 samples, GA job number 33228). <p>This data release contains the results of elemental analyses including X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Inductively Coupled Plasma- Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), iron titration (FeO), Loss-On-Ignition (LOI) and Rock-Eval pyrolysis on 53 outcrop samples collected across two seasons of fieldwork in the South Nicholson region. This data release are provided to facilitate establishment of important baseline assessments and whole rock characterisation of regional sedimentary rocks for insight into the resource prospectivity of northern Australian basins. These data was generated at the Geochemistry Laboratories at Geoscience Australia as part of the Exploring for the Future program

This web service provides access to satellite imagery products for the identification of potential groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in the South Nicholson - Georgina region.

The structural evolution of the South Nicholson region is not well understood, hindering full appraisal of the resource potential across the region. Here, we outline new insights from a recent deep-reflection seismic survey, collected as part of the Australian Government’s Exploring for the Future initiative. The new seismic profiles, and new field observations and geochronology, indicate that the South Nicholson region was characterised by episodic development of a series of ENE-trending half grabens. These graben structures experienced two major episodes of extension, at ca. 1725 Ma and ca. 1640 Ma, broadly correlating with extensional events identified from the Lawn Hill Platform and the Mount Isa Province to the east. Southward stratal thickening of both Calvert and Isa Superbasin sequences (Paleoproterozoic Carrara Range and McNamara groups, respectively) into north-dipping bounding faults is consistent with syndepositional extension during half graben formation. Subsequent basin inversion, and reactivation of the half graben bounding faults as south-verging thrusts, appears to have been episodic. The observed geometry and offset are interpreted as the cumulative effect of multiple tectonic events, including the Isan Orogeny, with thrust movement on faults occurring until at least the Paleozoic Alice Springs Orogeny. <b>Citation:</b> Carson, C.J.. Henson, P.A., Doublier, M.P., Williams, B., Simmons, J., Hutton, L. and Close, D., 2020. Structural evolution of the South Nicholson region: insight from the 2017 L210 reflection seismic survey. In: Czarnota, K., Roach, I., Abbott, S., Haynes, M., Kositcin, N., Ray, A. and Slatter, E. (eds.) Exploring for the Future: Extended Abstracts, Geoscience Australia, Canberra, 1–4.

This web service provides access to satellite imagery products for the identification of potential groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in the South Nicholson - Georgina region.