The Galilee Basin

itself is overlain by the Jurassic-Cretaceous Eromanga Basin (Gray et al., 2002), a component of the GAB. The Galilee Basin can be sub-divided into northern and southern regions based on differences in the lithostratigraphic succession. The boundary between these two distinct regions is the Maneroo Platform, an area where the basement rocks have been uplifted (Fig. 1; Hawkins and Green, 1993 and Van Heeswijck, 2006). The main difference between both regions is that the Aramac Coal Measures and Betts Creek Beds (Fig. 3) are absent in the southern part, where Permian correlatives are found but where coal seams are absent (Scott et al., 1995). The structural and tectonic evolution of the Galilee and Eromanga basins has been studied by numerous

authors (Evans and Roberts, 1979, Senior and Habermehl, click here 1980, Finlayson and selleck antibody inhibitor Leven, 1987, Hoffman and Williams, 1987, Finlayson et al., 1988, Shaw, 1991, Van Heeswijck, 2004 and Van Heeswijck, 2010), although most studies focused on locations outside the current area of interest. Five evolutionary stages were identified from the late Devonian to Triassic in central-eastern Australia in relation to tectonic activity, particularly during the Late Permian when sub-vertical reverse faults were active. During the Late Triassic, the tectonic regime changed, initiating the development of the GAB formations (Evans and Roberts, 1979). Several faults have been identified and mapped in the central part Aspartate of the Eromanga Basin (south of the Maneroo Platform) above an Upper Devonian unconformity identified by seismic data; with the Canaway

Fault (Fig. 2) representing the major structural feature (Finlayson and Leven, 1987 and Finlayson et al., 1988). Extension, contraction, thrusting and folding occurred in eastern Australia during the Early Permian to the mid-Cretaceous and extended from the Anakie Block in the north to the Sydney Basin in the south. These movements were a result of the development of two periods of foreland basin systems development from the Early Permian to mid-Cretaceous in eastern Australia (Elliott, 1993). Some regional structures have been defined in the study area (Fig. 2). The Cork Fault and Weatherby Structure, which trend north-northeast, are located in the western section of the area in the Lovelle Depression and represent re-activated basement faults (Murray and Kirkegaard, 1978). Movement on the Cork Fault has caused vertical displacement in the Permian, Triassic and Jurassic formations of up to 420 m (Ransley and Smerdon, 2012). Other important structures (mostly re-activated basement reverse faults) can be recognised in the eastern part of the area. These include the Hulton-Rand Structure and Tara Structure, which trend northwest and northeast, respectively (Fig. 2).