Chapter 1
General Review of Permian Sediments
in Western Australia
Permian sediments are known from all the main sedimentary basins in Western Australia, including the Carnarvon, Canning, Bonaparte Gulf and Perth Basins, where
Permian sequences reach more than 5000 m in thickness (McWhae et al. 1958). Permian rocks are exposed in the northern part of the Perth Basin, where their thickness
approximates 2000 m (McWhae et al. 1958) and in the Collie and Wilga Basins
south-east of Perth. Lower Permian glacial sediments outcrop in the Officer Basin
(Interior Plateau) north of the Eucla Basin and south-east of the Canning Basin.
Sediments of Permian age were encountered in a number of bores in Western
Australia; among them were Nullarbor No. 8 bore in the Eucla Basin (Harris and
Ludbrook 1966), Sue No. 1 bore and Alexandra Bridge bore both in the Donnybrook
Graben. The latter are dealt with in this book.
With the exception of the Eucla Basin, the Permian successions in Western Australia start everywhere with glacial sediments, namely tillites, deposited by the retreating glaciers. The character of the sediments overlying the tillites varies in different
areas. Generally, the facies become progressively Marine towards the north, where
the sediments reach their greatest thickness in the Carnarvon and Canning Basins.
Shallow marine deposits occur in the northern Perth Basin and continental beds
become important towards the southern and south-western parts of the Perth Basin.
Only Lower Permian (Artinskian) sediments were encountered in Nullarbor No.8
bore in the Eucla Basin; this sequence is considered to be lagoonal with restricted
connection to an open marine environment (Harris and Ludbrook 1966). A continental Permian sequence starting with tillites has been encountered in Barcoo-Junction
No. 1 borehole in the Cooper Basin (Glikson; Unpublished Company Report 1980).
No marine fauna has been found in the Permian sediments of either the Collie–
Wilga Basins or the bores in the southern Perth Basin. The Permian sequence of the
Collie Basin closely resembles the Permian sequence in the southern Perth Basin
in lithology as well as microflora, which suggests a common depositional basin for
both. The Darling fault separating the two basins today became active sometime
during the Permian: the Permian sequence in the Collie Basin (the uplifted block)
on the eastern side of the fault being less than 1000 m thick compared with the close
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. Glikson-Simpson, Coal—A Window to Past Climate and Vegetation,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44472-3_1
1
General Review of Permian Sediments
in Western Australia
Permian sediments are known from all the main sedimentary basins in Western Australia, including the Carnarvon, Canning, Bonaparte Gulf and Perth Basins, where
Permian sequences reach more than 5000 m in thickness (McWhae et al. 1958). Permian rocks are exposed in the northern part of the Perth Basin, where their thickness
approximates 2000 m (McWhae et al. 1958) and in the Collie and Wilga Basins
south-east of Perth. Lower Permian glacial sediments outcrop in the Officer Basin
(Interior Plateau) north of the Eucla Basin and south-east of the Canning Basin.
Sediments of Permian age were encountered in a number of bores in Western
Australia; among them were Nullarbor No. 8 bore in the Eucla Basin (Harris and
Ludbrook 1966), Sue No. 1 bore and Alexandra Bridge bore both in the Donnybrook
Graben. The latter are dealt with in this book.
With the exception of the Eucla Basin, the Permian successions in Western Australia start everywhere with glacial sediments, namely tillites, deposited by the retreating glaciers. The character of the sediments overlying the tillites varies in different
areas. Generally, the facies become progressively Marine towards the north, where
the sediments reach their greatest thickness in the Carnarvon and Canning Basins.
Shallow marine deposits occur in the northern Perth Basin and continental beds
become important towards the southern and south-western parts of the Perth Basin.
Only Lower Permian (Artinskian) sediments were encountered in Nullarbor No.8
bore in the Eucla Basin; this sequence is considered to be lagoonal with restricted
connection to an open marine environment (Harris and Ludbrook 1966). A continental Permian sequence starting with tillites has been encountered in Barcoo-Junction
No. 1 borehole in the Cooper Basin (Glikson; Unpublished Company Report 1980).
No marine fauna has been found in the Permian sediments of either the Collie–
Wilga Basins or the bores in the southern Perth Basin. The Permian sequence of the
Collie Basin closely resembles the Permian sequence in the southern Perth Basin
in lithology as well as microflora, which suggests a common depositional basin for
both. The Darling fault separating the two basins today became active sometime
during the Permian: the Permian sequence in the Collie Basin (the uplifted block)
on the eastern side of the fault being less than 1000 m thick compared with the close
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. Glikson-Simpson, Coal—A Window to Past Climate and Vegetation,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44472-3_1
1