Geological Survey of Carpentaria and Karumba Basins in Northern Australia

The Mesozoic Carpentaria Basin and Cainozoic Karumba Basin dataset synthesizes geological and geophysical information from northern Queensland and eastern Northern Territory. Data collection began in 1969 through field surveys by the Bureau of Mineral Resources and the Geological Survey of Queensland, supplemented by aerial photography, Landsat imagery, and stratigraphic drilling. The dataset is maintained by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Analyzing basin boundaries and watersheds defined in the geological maps for structural modeling.
• Correlating stratigraphic sequences using data from shallow drilling and wire-line borehole logs.
• Interpreting regional geology by integrating aerial photographs and Landsat imagery referenced in the survey.
• Reviewing geophysical survey data for subsurface resource assessment in the Gulf of Carpentaria region.

Strengths

• Synthesis of geological investigations spanning from 1969, providing a long-term perspective.
• Integration of multiple data sources including field surveys, aerial photography at 1:80,000 and 1:48,000 scales, and Landsat imagery.

Limitations

• Primary data formats are PDF and HTML reports, limiting direct machine-readability for analysis.
• Specific sample sizes, row counts, and precise geographic coordinates for data points are not provided in the description.
• The core field data collection period concluded decades ago, though the record was updated in 2026.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) and the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ), via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Field surveys, aerial photograph interpretation, Landsat imagery analysis, shallow stratigraphic drilling, and wire-line logging of bores.

Time Range

Field surveys began in 1969; the bulletin synthesizes investigations up to its publication date.

Freshness

Record metadata was last updated in April 2026, though the underlying survey work is historical.

Geography

Northern Queensland and eastern Northern Territory, Australia, approximating the Gulf of Carpentaria and its drainage basin.