Welcome To Our Excursions Page! Here you will find detailed information on our upcoming excursions. If you require more information about a particular excursion please email the trip co-ordinator whose details are provided.
Leaders: Frances Williams, Steve Elsby, Dianne Radomski
Meeting time and place: 10.00 am at Marino Rocks carpark by the Marino Rocks Café, at the seaward end of Jervois Terrace
Transport: Own vehicles (please let Frances know if you need a ride)
The Marinoan is a geological epoch of the late Precambrian (Neoproterozoic) era. It has been named after our very own seaside suburb of Marino as its cliffs and foreshore have excellent exposures of the rock formations deposited during this time. The Marinoan is characterised by a major glacial episode (known as the Marinoan glaciation), during which much of the earth, or even all of it, may have been covered with ice.
On this excursion we will traverse from north to south, beginning at the Eden Fault where the lowest formation of the Marinoan sequence, the Wilmington Formation, abuts against the Quaternary clay on which the city of Adelaide is built. You will be able to stand with a foot on either side of the fault. We will then examine two exposures of a major anticline which occurs within the Wilmington Formation, and you will be able to sit right on its nose! If you are not sure what an anticline is, you will definitely be clear about it by the end of this trip.
After a picnic lunch we will drive a short distance to the south (in order to avoid a long walk along the rocky foreshore) to see some very interesting features in the Reynella Siltstone, the formation which overlies the Wilmington Formation and which was deposited during the Marinoan glaciation. Although there are no actual glacial features (at least, nothing very convincing) to observe here, there is much else. Faint (but obvious when pointed out) striations record tides which rose and fell around 650 million years ago, puzzling layers of carbonate may represent ancient soils, pipe-like features record the escape of methane to the earth’s surface as glacial conditions culminated…. and much else.
Detailed excursion notes will be emailed to participants prior to the excursion. Please let Frances know if you would prefer a (B and W) printed copy ($2).
IMPORTANT NOTE: This excursion will involve walking over rocks and up and down steep and numerous stairs to access the beach. It will not be suitable for members who are unsteady on their feet or unable to climb stairs.
Bring a picnic lunch and drink; it will not be possible to buy lunch during the excursion.
There is a toilet available at Marino Rocks which you can use before setting off on the walk, and at lunchtime.
Check the weather forecast and have suitable clothing for the conditions.
A walking pole could be useful on the rocks.
The excursion should finish at about 3 pm
Please sign the sheet at the May General Meeting if you would like to join the excursion, or contact Frances (details given above).
The dates have been moved 2days forward to cater for accommodation avaiability. Travel to and from Bendigo will either by commercial bus service or by private car. Once at Bendigo there will be hired minibus transport.
For more details contact Steve Elsby at steveelsby@adam.com.au or 0419 035 408
Bendigo was the location of one of the world’s most exciting gold rushes, with more gold found there between 1850 and 1900 than anywhere else in the world. Most of the gold was gathered from rich gold-bearing quartz reefs. Around nine billion dollars worth of gold was found in Bendigo, making it the second highest producing gold field in Australia after Kalgoorlie, and seventh richest field in the world. Historic and elaborate bank buildings line the main streets, and gold smelter chimneys provide an ever-present reminder of the riches from the gold fields. One of the world’s most exciting gold rushes occurred in and around Bendigo. More gold was found in Bendigo between 1850 and 1900 than anywhere else in the world.
You can don a hard hat and miner’s lamp, and descend 61m beneath the surface of Bendigo, walking in the footsteps of past miners! We will be visiting Central Deborah Gold Mine, where everyone can select their own level of underground experience. It is possible to see gold in the quartz reef in the mine's tunnels.
We will visit some of the picturesque villages and towns of the Bendigo region, including Castlemaine, and Maldon, where we will see some fascinating evidence of the once very rich and busy area.
As well as its very special human history, the Geology of the Bendigo area is quite different from that with which we are familiar in South Australia. Almost all the rocks we will see are younger than those we see on our usual day excursions. They were probably formed from sediments weathered out of our Mt. Lofty Ranges.
We will see evidence of metamorphic aureoles — areas around igneous intrusions where the country sedimentary rocks have been altered by the heat emitted from intruding magma as it solidified. We do not see these feature in South Australia because the rocks around our igneous intrusions are so much older and have weathered away.
An event that occurred in both Victoria and South Australia over the same time period was the Permian Glaciation — the huge ice sheet that covered much of Gondwana, and whose effects we have seen at Hallett Cove amongst other places. We will visit Lake Eppalock, which contains large areas of glacial evidence.
The trip is in four stages. You don’t have to do all four stages although most members I expect will. Most importantly this is a self- drive trip and starts at the first location and finishes at the last location in the Flinders Ranges. How and when you travel to and from the Flinders is your choice. We haven’t planned for the bus because it would restrict where we could go and not get a lot of use once we are at locations. We would urge members to share travel arrangements so those who don’t have transport can still go. You can take your own camper/caravan/tent as well. A group might want to hire a minibus? You only need a normal car licence to drive one of these.
Here we will spend time looking at the local Geology, doing a geological field mapping exercise/ or sketching (choice), visiting Quorn, and doing the Pitchi Richi Railway trip (approx $65 pp) Accommodation - Pichi Richi Park has shared cabin accom and can also cater for us (breakfast/dinner) at a cost of $75-80 per person per day. Bring your own linen/ towels or pay extra $18. Shared Male/female Block amenties, no ensuite. If this doesn’t suit then you can organise B&B accom in Quorn (15 mins away). Campers also catered for. For more info click on this link www.pichirichipark.com.au
From here we will travel to Bunyeroo Gorge and Brachina Gorge to do some walking on the geological trails . Accommodation: Caravan Park Cabin accom, one Db bed &two sets of bunks ( sleeps 5-6) per cabin, bring your own linen, has cooking facilities but no ensuite. Male/Female block ammenties nearby, $30 per person per night. If this doesn’t suit then there are fully self contained Holiday cabins in a different location that can sleep 4-8 , depending if you want to share a double bed.. These vary in price but will cost you approx $60-$70 per person per night, BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO BOOK THESE YOURSELF. Campers in the Caravan Park. The Woolshed Restaurant can provide an evening meal package ($20 -30), but you will have to provide your own breakfast and lunch. For more info click on this link: www.rawnsleypark.com.au
In this area we will do the Blinman Mine tour ($27.50/$20 conc pp) and look at the Blinman Diapir in various locations, plus explore Parachilna Gorge. Accommodation: Bunkhouse accomm where you have to bring your own bedding! Again, Male/Female Block facilities next door, no ensuite, $25 per person, per night. If doesn’t suit then you can hire out the fully self contained cabins for about $50-$60 per person, per night, BUT YOU HAVE TO BOOK THESE YOURSELF. Or you can hire out some of the cottages in Blinman. They can also do an evening meal package at the Blinman Pub (20 mins away), but breakfast and lunch is your responsibility. Campers also included in caravan park. For more info click on this link: www.angorichinavillage.com.au
A tour of the cattle station and you can see where the Ediacra fossils were first discovered by Reg Sprigg. This costs $135 or $165 (with lunch), morning start from the Parachilna Pub and includes morning tea,( max 15 persons). If you not interested in this tour then you can make your way back to Adelaide. For more info click on this link: www.prairiehotel.com.au This ends the excursion.
Overall Approx Cost: $600 pp - cabin/bunkhouse accom + set dinners , 3 breakfasts. Doesn’t include Tours or Travel
Please download the following Flinders Expresssion of Interest file (a .doc file) and complete the details and email as an attachment to wpbriggs2@gmail.com