Shoalhaven District Geology

FIELD GEOLOGY OF THE SHOALHAVEN DISTRICT                                              (PART 18) Chapter 10. The Wandandian and Conjola Districts   This is largely an area of uncleared bushland. Features of interest lie along the highway or on the coastal strip. Other than the Wandrawandian Siltstone and the Conjola Formation, the only variation in the geology is provided by an occasional dyke or inlier of basement rocks.  Several dolerite dykes will be seen on these excursions; they are all similar, being composed of a bluish-black olivine dolerite with phenocrysts of plagioclase up to 1 inch across. The dykes are up to 60 feet wide and are traceable for several miles.  The deep valleys of Wandandian and Conjola Creeks have exposed highly folded strata of unknown age, usually taken to be Ordovician like the metamorphic rocks of Tolwong and Nerriga. These have...

  FIELD GEOLOGY OF THE SHOALHAVEN DISTRICT (PART 5) Reminder that all the maps, diagrams etc referred to in the text have been lost. CHAPTER 2 CONTINUED Excursion 2b   Gerringong- Berry  (17 miles)  This excursion deals mainly with the stratigraphy of the Berry Formation and the effects of differing lithology on landforms and soil fertility.  Route: Prince’s Highway from Gerringong to Berry, with diversions to Toolijooa and Foxground.  Gerringong is close to the former centre of Permian volcanic activity. On this excursion, the flows are seen to become thinner and finally vanish while the tuffaceous sediments merge to become one unit, the Broughton Sandstone.  Stop 1. In the road cutting opposite Gerringong station, the Kiama Sandstone is well exposed. It is much the same as the outcrops seen at Kiama and Bombo, but with a higher proportion of pebbles.  Proceed towards  Berry . Outcrops of Kiama Sandstone are seen for the next two miles, at w...

  FIELD GEOLOGY OF THE SHOALHAVEN DISTRICT (PART 4) Chapter 2:   The Kiama District    3A and 3B Nowra HS Science excursion to Bombo quarries 1965 November   The country around Kiama has been visited by students for many years, for its volcanic rocks illustrate many important geological processes. Attention was first drawn to the area in 1797, when explorer George Bass discovered the now well-known Blow Hole. He also commented on the manner in which the rocks were jointed. At this time, most of the country was covered by thick rain forest and the presence of fine timber soon attracted cedar getters from Sydney. Settlers began arriving after 1820 and started clearing the jungle. From that point on the dairying industry has grown to its present importance.  The introduction of the railway and the subsequent demand for ballast led to extensive quarrying of the local volcanic rocks. Kiama became known as the “Blue Metal Metropolis” and there is abundant ev...