L054 Moree seismic reflection and refraction survey, NSW, 1962

Brief description

Between April and July 1962, a seismic party from the Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics made a seismic reflection and refraction survey in the Moree area of New South Wales. The main purpose of the survey was to investigate whether the southern extension of the Bowen Basin beneath the Great Artesian Basin from Meandarra to Toobeah continued as far south as Moree and joined the Sydney Basin. Three east-west traverses were shot using a method of reconnaissance reflection shooting, the first near Dolgelly Bore, the second through Moree, and the third through Bellata. The third traverse was extended eastward as far as the Horton River to investigate the Hunter-Bowen Thrust zone. In addition, three north-south refraction traverses were shot in the middle, and on both ends, of the east-west traverse through Moree. A north-south reflection traverse was shot north of Dolgelly Bore.Results in the Moree and Bellata areas were of poor quality and in the Bellata area in particular, owing to surface basalt flows, little information was obtained. The Hunter-Bowen Thrust area was not distinguished by the seismic work. The seismic results indicated that the trough of sediments extending southwards through Dolgelly Bore was at least 7500 ft deep south of Dolgelly Bore. The eastern margin of the trough is probably an overthrust fault. In the Moree area, two troughs were indicated, viz. the Biniguy Trough in the east where about 7000 ft of sediments was estimated separated by the Pallamallawa Ridge from the Moree Trough in the west where about 11,000 ft of sediments was estimated. Poor results in the Bellata area failed to indicate whether the Moree Trough joined the Sydney Basin.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded

Statement: Seismic surveys in the Surat Basin from 1959 to 1961 have revealed a north-south trough which is probably the extension of the Bowen Basin southwards (Smith and Lodwick, 1962). The trough, which extends through Meandarra and Toobeah, was thought to persist at least as far south as Dolgelly Bore (Lodwick and Bigg-Wither, 1962). It was planned to extend the seismic work south to the Moree area during 1962 with the main object of defining the extension of the Bowen Basin southward and to find its relation to the Sydney Basin in New South Wales.