GEOLOGY, GEOHERITAGE AND GEOTOURISM POTENTIAL OF THE KAUWI-MARNIRLA*—FIELD RIVER (KMFR) CONS, PARK
Sunday 30 August 2026
Excursion Leader – Prof. Pat James, Adelaide University

The recently established KMFR is one of several Conservation and National Parks currently managed by the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) in the southern Tarntanya/Adelaide Hills area that have significant, exciting and potentially World Class geological features that are being cleared of significant exotic vegetation for both conservation, protection and interpretation for visitors.

The geoheritage of the KMFR was established in 1977 (Metropolitan Geoheritage site M3), following study and research over the last 150 years by renowned scientists including Tate, Howchin, David, Mawson, Segnit, and Sprigg, and which continues through current geoscience research. In Part #1 of the 10 volume approximately 450 Geoheritage sites in SA, Maud McBriar, co-founder of the FGC, recorded significant detailed descriptions of the KMFR valley with its significant involvement of Howchin’s original Adelaidean stratigraphic “Type Series” and concluded that “its striking exposures of rock strata, often highly contorted are {also) of educational value to the general public as well as to students of geology” & “it is an ideal teaching area for demonstrating the principles of stratigraphy, sedimentology and the structural analysis of rocks”.

This excursion will involve a guided walk along an evolving geotrail which is under development in parallel with ongoing land management of the KMFR, which is gradually unearthing the topography of the original incised and meandering river valley and gorge landscape, which also include multiple quarries, mine sites, rocky cliff outcrops & industrial heritage.

In the upper reaches of the KMFR we will visit the recently cleared multiple Pocock’s/Old Reynella Brighton Limestone Quarries and their suspiciously meandering and disappearing river channels. This will be followed by a walk along newly emerging valley trails to investigate the Worthing Moine site with its mysteriously missing ore body and its equally enigmatic but significant Cornish Mine features, including the oldest standing Cornish Engine House in Australia. A final walk over the hill will take us to the magnificent outcropping cliffs which reveal Walter Howchin’s Giant Anticline and the vast later limestone “new” Reynella/Hallett limestone Quarries, which it overlooks.

A recently submitted proposal on behalf of the FGC and SA GSA to a request from National Parks for an ongoing KMFR Management Plan, has suggested that the KMFR could be a key component of a Tonian-Cryogenian-Ediacaran Geotourism Time Corridor (approximately 720-635Ma) from the Adelaide Hills and Hills Face-Zone Parks through to the Hallett Cove and Marinoan Coast, which would have the potential to be of world-class value, like the UNESCO World Heritage “Jurassic Coast of southern England” which highlights the Earth’s Jurassic Period.

Ongoing access upgrade and clearing of non-native vegetation of the KMFR has enabled recovery and recognition of this important geoheritage and the potential opportunities for significant geotourism. Its proximity to major roads and population centres allows for easy access and development like that supported by UNESCO Global Geoparks in the Black Country Geopark (Birmingham, UK), Reykjanes Geopark, (Reykjavik, Iceland), Fangshan Geopark, Beijing) and the Hong Kong Geopark. Similar proposals for promotion of Geotourism though “local” geoparks are currently being developed and proposed in Western Australia, e.g. the Nappup and Bindjareb Local Geoparks by the Western Australian Geoparks Network.

*Kauwi-marnirla means “meeting place of two good waters”.

Logistics
Self drive cars, no limit on numbers, 9am-4pm, meet and parking at “Blue Bench, Sheidow Park”. Packed lunch and drinks, mostly river valley trail walking – will work out km shortly.