Eumeralla Formation Fluvial Systems in the Otway Basin

Three discrete high-energy fluvial depositional systems, with sandstone bodies up to 70 meters thick, are distinguished in the Lower Cretaceous Eumeralla Formation. Relationships, thicknesses, and palaeocurrent data from outcrops in the eastern Otway Basin are documented by the Australian Ocean Data Network. The data supports a model of volcaniclastic apron and alluvial fan sedimentation during the Aptian-Albian period.

Use Cases

• Modeling ancient fluvial architecture based on described multistorey sandstone bodies and interchannel siltstones.
• Reconstructing palaeocurrent flow directions based on the southerly, north-easterly, and northwesterly vectors documented for each system.
• Analyzing sediment provenance based on the intermixing of basement-derived quartzose and volcaniclastic components.
• Interpreting depositional environments (e.g., alluvial fan vs. braid plain) based on described facies associations and thicknesses.

Strengths

• Distinguishes three discrete depositional systems (A-C) with specific characteristics.
• Documents concrete thickness measurements, such as sandstone bodies up to 70 meters and 14 meters thick.
• Includes specific palaeocurrent vector trends (southerly, north-easterly, northwesterly) for each system.
• Provides a detailed interpretive model for the formation's deposition within the Otway rift basin.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific outcrops studied in the eastern Otway Basin.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Analysis of sedimentary data from Eumeralla Formation outcrops.

Time Range

Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian)

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 08:40:47.835434; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Otway Basin, southern Australia (specifically outcrops between Cape Otway, Apollo Bay, Moonlight Head, and north of Skenes Creek)