Oldest Cretaceous Sequence in Giralia Anticline, Late Hauterivian-Barremian

Outcrop and well data describe the oldest Cretaceous sequence in Western Australia's Giralia Anticline. The sequence includes a 10 m thick Birdrong Sandstone overlain by 56 m of Muderong Shale, dated to the late Hauterivian-Barremian age. Geoscience Australia Data produced this detailed biostratigraphic assessment, last updated in 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze transgressive and highstand systems tracts based on the described Birdrong Sandstone and Muderong Shale sequence.
• Study paleoclimate indicators based on growth-ring analysis of fossil conifer wood suggesting a seasonal humid mesothermal climate.
• Investigate marine facies retrogradation and aggradation based on changes in sediment composition, palynomorphs, and foraminiferal biofacies.
• Correlate continent-wide sea-level rise events based on the described late Hauterivian-Barremian transgressive pulse.

Strengths

• Detailed biostratigraphic assessment of a specific geological sequence.
• Includes specific thickness measurements: 10 m Birdrong Sandstone and 56 m Muderong Shale.
• Provides paleoenvironmental context, including fossil evidence like conifer wood, ichthyosaur bones, and ammonites.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Outcrop description and analysis of the Giralia No. 1 well.

Time Range

Late Hauterivian-Barremian age (Early Cretaceous).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-14 03:46:32.183661; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Giralia Anticline, Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia.