Palynostratigraphy of the Central West Murray Basin Boreholes

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 from other boreholes, was published by Geoscience Australia. 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 zones mentioned in the description
• Studying paleoclimatic shifts from year-round to seasonal rainfall patterns based on pollen assemblage changes
• Investigating the extent of marine incursions in the Murray Basin based on dinoflagellate evidence
• Developing biostratigraphic frameworks for groundwater modeling based on the described zonal schemes

Strengths

• Analysis is based on four fully cored boreholes, providing direct subsurface data.
• Study integrates data from previously studied sequences, offering a regional context.
• Covers a long temporal range from the Early Cretaceous to the Middle Miocene.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description notes that 'resolution of the palynological zones is too poor' to match some global sea-level pulses.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Early Cretaceous to Middle Miocene

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 19:22:41.075444; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Central west Murray Basin, Australia, including the Wentworth Trough