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Past Club Activities

Only summaries of some of our excursion activities will be posted to the website. You will have to consult the Bulletin for the detailed geological information. At least here we can have a few colour photos! This year's activities will be reported as they occur.

EXCURSION: MASLIN BAY AND PORT WILLUNGA
Sunday 25th March 2012
Leader Dr Brian McGowran

The first stop was at a road cutting near Chapel Hill Winery, which showed deeply weathered Neoproterozoic/ Eocene contact - with an unconformity of some 700 my!

Down to Maslin Beach, with its stunning views to Blanche Point, and clearly defined sedimentary strata of South Maslin Sands, Tortachilla Limestone and Blanche Point Formation rocks with profuse examples of marine fossils. The reasons for variety and density were explained by Brian.

We walked on to Perkana Point, then Chinaman Gully and finally the old Port Willunga Jetty, with further discussion and fossicking, to meet the bus at the Star of Greece Cafe.

Roadside cutting, Eocene (40my) above Precambrian (700my) rocks

Clambering over beach rocks, Blanche Point

Gastropod cast, Tortachilla Limestone

Platform of Tortachilla Limestone beneath Blanche Point

Excursion to Marino Rocks
Sunday 30th October 2011:
Excursion Leaders: Cynthia Pyle, Frances Williams, Steve Elsby

An excellent day for scrambling along the rocks and cliffs of the coastline between Marino Rocks and Hallett Cove.

We were able to examine the classic sequence of Marinoan age rocks (about 650my), including the Wilmington Formation, interbedded with Marino Arkose and lastly, the Reynella Sitstone.

Our guides pointed out the nose of the plunging anticline from the top of the cliffs, and we walked to the contact point between the Wilmington Formation, with its various layers, and the lighter coloured Marino Arkose.

Further along we came to the reddish Reynella Siltstone, still in the Neoproterozoic and then the sudden contact, along the Eden Fault, with the recent Pleistocene Hindmarsh Clay - an unconformity of some 650my!



Bob Major looks at ripple marks in Wilmington Fm rocks		Anticlinal fold - note horizontal layers at top of fold



Note clear faultline in cliff face		Stephanie astride Eden Fault -right foot in Reynella Siltstone, left foot in Hindmarsh Mud - a gap of 650my!
Photos by Bill Kelly

Excursion to Ochre Cove
Sunday 27th March 2011
Excursion Leaders: Prof Bob Bourman and Dr Wolfgang Preiss

The excursion descended from the cliff top south of Moana, through a succession of Pleistocene sediments, across a major unconformity, to the folded and faulted Neoproterozoic rocks near the base of the cliffs and along the shoreline. Bob provided expert commentary of the younger Pleistocene (<2.6 my) and Pliocene (2.6my - 5my)sediments, while Wolfgang discussed stratigraphy of the older rocks, including the ABC Range Quartzite, around 600my, similar to those seen in the Flinders Ranges. An enjoyable, and informative day was had by all, scrambling down the cliffs and along the shoreline.

Photos by Bill Kelly


James looking at contact between Bunyeroo Mudstone & ABC Quartzite		Dr Wolfgang Preiss on beach mudstones

Excursion to Old Noarlunga, Christies Beach and Noarlunga Jetty;
Sunday 26th June, 2011
Excursion Leaders: Frances & Martin William, Steve Elsby

A fine day to visit the Onkaringa River bend at Old Noarlunga, note the 650 my Angapeena siltstone across the footbridge, and contact with the more recent Tertiary sediments, such as the Blanche Point marls, further around the bend. The afternoon provided an opportunity to stroll along the beach cliffs at Christies Beach and Noarlunga and discover many marine fossils, such as the marine snail 'spirocolpus'.

Photos by Bill Kelly


Club members looking at ripple marks on 650my siltstone, Onkaparinga RIver		Noarlunga Jetty, looking for fossils in the marl

Excursion to Myponga Beach and Carrickalinga;
Sunday 31st October, 2010
Excursion Leaders: Assoc Professor Jim Jago

We had an interesting trip to two beautiful beach locations on the Fleurieu Peninsular, examining the Precambrian rocks of the Normanville Group. Scattered beneath the layered cliffs at Myponga Beach, we fossicked for ancient marine fossils - hyolithids and trace fossils of worm burrows.

At Carrickalina Beach we marvelled at the high cliffs of Heatherdale Shale and interbedded Greywacke.

Photos by Bill Kelly



Leader Jim Jago & FGCSA President Frances Williams at Myponga Beach - Sellicks Hill Fm cliffs			Hyolithid fossils in Myponga Beach rocks

Myponga Beach - trace fossils of large worm burrows

Carrickalinga Beach - cliffs of Heatherdale Shale

Photos by Bill Kelly

Excursion to Central Flinders Ranges: Mountains & Meteorites;
Saturday 25th Sept to Fri 1st Oct, 2010
Excursion Leader: Bob Major

A wonderful week was spent exploring one of the world's best sections of Precambrian to Middle Cambrian rocks.

Places visited included Parachilna Gorge, Blinman copper mine, Wilpena Pound, Dedman's Bore, Enorama Diapir & Brachina Gorge. We saw the 'Golden Spike' marking the boundary between the Ediacaran & Cambrian Periods, and had the opportunity to see Ediacaran fossils in the rocks, nearly 600my old.

Photos by Bill Kelly.


Creek bed at Dedman's Bore		Stromatolites in Woodendinna Dolomite.

Golden Spike marking international boundary of Ediacaran Period (635my-542my)		Ediacaran fossil (Dickonsonia) on underside of rock

Excursion to St Kilda Mangroves
Sunday 28th August 2011
Excursion Leader Bob Major

We enjoyed a guided walk along the boardwalk through the St Kilda Mangroves, appreciating the value of this unique ecosystem.

After a lunch in the park area, we visited the Tram Museum, with its history of trams in Adelaide, and various models as they progressed through the decades. We finally jumped on the open air tram that regularly travels from the Museum to the St Kilda beach area. An enjoyable experience.