Great Australian Bight Basin Nannofossil Record from Maastrichtian to Oligocene

The Great Australian Bight Basin and southern Australian margin are the focus of this nannofossil study. Samples dredged during BMR Survey 66 by KV Rig Seismic were examined to record calcareous nannofossils, comparing offshore and onshore sequences. The dataset, provided by Geoscience Australia Data, was last updated on 2026-03 25.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing marine ingression phases based on Maastrichtian nannofossil assemblages.
• Analyzing paleoceanographic currents based on evidence for a proto-Leeuwin Current in the Eocene and Oligocene.
• Modeling basin subsidence history based on nannofossil evidence for changes in subsidence rates.
• Correlating offshore and onshore stratigraphic records based on comparisons of Eocene and Oligocene assemblages.
• Investigating sea-level changes based on evidence for a marked fall in the latest late Eocene.

Strengths

• Provides the first recorded Maastrichtian nannofossil assemblages found in southern Australia.
• Includes Eocene assemblages older than any known from onshore sequences or the Naturaliste Plateau.
• Analysis is supported by palynological and lithological data, as mentioned in the description.

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 survey area of the Great Australian Bight Basin.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Samples dredged during BMR Survey 66 by KV Rig Seismic in the central Great Australian Bight Basin.

Time Range

Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) to Oligocene (early Tertiary).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 16:50:57.317559; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Australian Bight Basin and onshore equivalents on the southern margin of Australia.