Palynostratigraphy of Central West Murray Basin Boreholes for Groundwater Studies

Palynological analyses from four fully cored boreholes in the central west Murray Basin provide a biostratigraphic framework for geological factors related to groundwater. The study, augmented by analysis of cores and cuttings from other boreholes, was contributed by the Australian Ocean Data Network. It covers sediments from the Early Cretaceous to the Middle Miocene, focusing on the Geera Clay aquitard and Renmark Group aquifers.

Use Cases

• Correlating aquifer and aquitard units based on palynological zone schemes mentioned in the description.
• Investigating the extent of marine incursions in the Murray Basin based on dinoflagellate assemblages.
• Analyzing shifts in vegetation and climate from the Late Oligocene to earliest Miocene based on pollen frequency changes.
• Refining stratigraphic frameworks for groundwater modeling using taxa with potential stratigraphic value.

Strengths

• Analysis is based on four fully cored boreholes, providing direct subsurface samples.
• Study integrates data from previously studied sequences and areas east of the main marine influence.
• The description specifies the application of modified zonal schemes from the Gippsland Basin for age assignment.

Limitations

• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The description notes that resolution of palynological zones is too poor to identify specific pulses of marine transgression.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Palynological analysis of fully cored boreholes, supplemented by analysis of cores and cuttings from other boreholes.

Time Range

Early Cretaceous to Middle Miocene

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 06:18:23.536293; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Central west Murray Basin, Australia, including the Wentworth Trough