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Figure 47. Topography and drainage of the catchments surrounding Oriners and Sef<strong>to</strong>n<br />

Stations. Elevation data derived from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission 30m pixel digital<br />

elevation model (SRTM 2000).<br />

3.2.3 Geology<br />

The geologic evolution of central Cape York Peninsula near Oriners Station is summarized<br />

by (Willmott 2009). Multiple phases of uplift, erosion, sediment deposition in basins, some<br />

metamorphosis, additional uplift, igneous intrusion, and re-erosion have occurred on this<br />

landscape over the last 1.6 billion years. Several major sedimentary basins have formed<br />

from landscape erosion during this period: Hodgkinson (Silurian-Devonian), Laura and<br />

Carpentaria (Jurassic), Karumba and Kalpowar (Tertiary). The basins formed <strong>be</strong>fore the<br />

Tertiary have <strong>be</strong>en uplifted, warped, locally metamorphosed, intruded by granites and<br />

basalts, and re-eroded <strong>to</strong> feed sediment in<strong>to</strong> the Tertiary basins still largely active <strong>to</strong>day.<br />

The headwaters of Crosbie Creek, Eight Mile Creek, the Alice River and One Mile Creek<br />

have a heterogeneous mixture of geologic rock types and lithologies - see Figure 48,<br />

(Blewett and Wilford 1996).<br />

Metamorphic basement rock (metasedimentary, siliciclastic, quartzite, slate, schist;<br />

1.6 <strong>to</strong> 1.0 billion yrs in age, Mesoproterozoic)<br />

Intrusive rock (igeneous felsic granite, granodiorite, monzogranite, 440 <strong>to</strong> 400<br />

million yrs in age, Silurian <strong>to</strong> Devonian)<br />

Sedimentary rock (sands<strong>to</strong>ne, 140 <strong>to</strong> 170 million yrs in age, Jurassic <strong>to</strong> Cretaceous;<br />

silts<strong>to</strong>ne and muds<strong>to</strong>ne, 145 <strong>to</strong> 65 million yrs in age, Cretaceous)<br />

The middle and lower sections of the catchments are dominated by younger sedimentary<br />

rock and unconsolidated sedimentary alluvium - see Figure 48 and (Smart, Grimes et al.<br />

1980b)<br />

Sands<strong>to</strong>ne, conglomerate, clays<strong>to</strong>ne (65 <strong>to</strong> 2.6 million yrs in age, Tertiary)<br />

Sand plains of alluvium (< 65 million yrs in age, Cenozoic)<br />

Channel and floodplain alluvium (unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt, clay) (< 2.5<br />

million yrs in age, Quaternary)<br />

Working Knowledge at Oriners Station, Cape York<br />

135

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