Timeframe: ~34 Ma–today, Oligocene to today
Geological story
Australia now the island continent heads north, becomes drier as rainforests are replaced with deserts, vegetation takes on an Australian caste?. Deep weathering formation of opal, channel iron deposits, Uranium calcretes, Sea re-invades into Nullarbor and Murray Basin and on western margin; Pleistocene glaciation in Tasmania & Snowy Mountains.
Rocks to show: Miocene marine deposits, resources, volcanoes.
Events
- ~33 Ma–approx. 5,000 yrs BP – hotspot volcano tracks, Hillsborough, Qld to Cosgrove, Vic plus
Rocks included in this theme
- Nimbin rhyolite, NSW
- Gambier limestone, SA
- Nullarbor Limestone, SA
- Trealla Limestone, WA
- Quaternary Glacials, NSW and Tasmania
