Geological History Of The Cairns-Townsville Hinterland

35,000 square miles of the Cairns-Townsville Hinterland were mapped from 1956 to 1959. The data details geological events, sediment thicknesses up to 409,000 feet, and the history of the Georgetown Shield and Tasman Geosyncline. It was compiled by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Analyze sediment deposition patterns using documented thicknesses of 40,000 feet in the geosyncline and 30,000 feet in the Etheridge Geosyncline.
• Model tectonic events like the uplift of the central geanticline and the formation of the Broken River Rift.
• Study igneous rock distribution across 20,000 square miles of acid and 5,000 square miles of basic and ultrabasic outcrops.
• Correlate geological time periods from the Precambrian to the Permian with specific events and rock formations described.

Strengths

• Covers a large spatial area of 35,000 square miles.
• Provides specific quantitative measurements, such as sediment thicknesses up to 409,000 feet and shield dimensions of 200 by 150 miles.

Limitations

• Data collection period (1956-1959) is historically significant but may not reflect modern geological interpretations or recent discoveries.
• Primary data format is descriptive text (PDF/HTML), limiting quantitative analysis without manual extraction.
• No sample data or structured columns are provided, complicating machine-readability.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Regional geological mapping project conducted from 1956 to 1959.

Time Range

Covers geological history from the Precambrian (Archaean?) to the Permian period.

Freshness

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Geography

Cairns-Townsville Hinterland, North Queensland, Australia.