• Purpose and scope p. 11
• The Adelaide Geosyncline concept p. 12
• Elements of the Adelaide Geosyncline and environs p. 15
• Extensions of the Adelaide Geosyncline p. 16
• History of early investigations in the Adelaide Geosyncline p. 16

• Climate p. 21
• Landforms and soils p. 21
• Native vegetation p. 23
• Land use p. 23
• Population, settlement and access p. 23

• Introduction p. 29
• Chronostratigraphic subdivision and classification in the precambrian p. 30
• Lithostratigraphic nomenclature and classification p. 32
• Note on the use of “Beds p. 33
• Notes on the “Ediacar(i)an p. 33

• Gawler Craton p. 35
• Pandurra Formation p. 36
• Willyama Inlier and Curnamona Cratonic Nucleus p. 37
• Mount painter and Mount Babbage Inliers p. 38
• Peake and Denison Ranges and Muloorina Ridge p. 39
• Basement inliers of the Mount Lofty Ranges p. 39
• Basement xenoclasts in diapirs p. 40
• Evidence from xenoliths in kimberlites p. 41
• Depth to magnetic basement p. 41

• Introduction p. 43
• The “upper Callanna Beds” problem p. 43
• Arkaroola Subgroup p. 44
• Sedimentary rocks p. 44
• Paralana Quartzite p. 44
• Shanahan Conglomerate Member p. 46
• Younghusband Conglomerate p. 48
• Lady Don Quartzite and Christine Judith Conglomerate p. 48
• Cutana Beds p. 49
• Backy Point Beds p. 49
• Wywyana Formation p. 49
• Boco Formation (Poolamacca Group, NSW) p. 50
• Black Knob Marble p. 50
• Coominaree Dolomite p. 51
• Volcanic rocks p. 51
• Wooltana Volcanics p. 52
• Cadlareena Volcanics p. 52
• Wilangee Basalt p. 53
• Noranda Volcanics p. 53
• Beda Volcanics and Gairdner Dyke Swarm p. 53
• Boucaut Volcanics p. 54
• Volcanics at Depot Creek p. 54
• Xenoclasts in Flinders Ranges diapirs p. 56
• Volcanics of the Mallabie Depression p. 56
• Geochemistry and origin of Willouran volcanics p. 56
• Curdimurka Subgroup p. 59
• Willouran Ranges p. 59
• Dome Sandstone p. 61
• Rook Tuff p. 61
• Dunns Mine Limestone p. 62
• Recovery Formation p. 62
• Hogan Dolomite p. 65
• Cooranna Formation p. 65
• Boorloo Siltstone p. 65
• Peake and Denison Ranges p. 66
• Rockwater Beds p. 66
• War Loan Beds p. 67
• Nilpinna Beds p. 67
• Duff Creek Beds p. 67
• Worumba Anticline p. 67
• Wirrawilka Beds p. 67
• Niggly Gap Beds p. 67
• Arkaba Hill Beds p. 67
• Kirwan Siltstone p. 67
• Waraco Limestone p. 67
• Worumba Dolomite Beds p. 68
• Spalding Inlier p. 68
• Xenoclasts in Flinders Ranges diapirs p. 68
• Igneous activity associated with the Curdimurka Subgroup p. 70
• Synthesis and palaeogeography of the Callanna Group p. 71

Stratigraphic content and boundaries of the Burra Group p. 73
The Emeroo Subgroup—lower arenaceous sequences of the Burra Group p. 74
Aldgate Sandstone p. 80
Rhynie Sandstone p. 82
Bungaree Quartzite p. 84
Yednalue Quartzite p. 84
“Humanity Seat Formation p. 86
Woodnamoka Phyllite p. 86
Blue Mine Conglomerate p. 86
Wortupa Quartzite p. 86
Top Mount Sandstone Beds p. 88
Copley and Witchelina Quartzites p. 88
Murrana Beds p. 88
Mount Margaret Quartzite p. 89
Undifferentiated Emeroo Subgroup p. 89
The River Wakefield Subgroup—lower silty and dolomitic sequences of the Burra Group p. 92
Blyth Dolomite p. 92
Boconnoc Formation p. 92
Ingomar Quartzite p. 92
Stradbrooke Formation p. 92
Benbournie Dolomite p. 92
Wirreanda Dolomite Beds p. 92
Opaminda Formation p. 93
Willawalpa Formation. p. 94
Fountain Spring Beds. p. 94
Regional variation and depositional environments in the lower part of the Burra Group p. 94
The Mundallio Subgroup—carbonate-dominated sequences of the Burra Group. p. 98
Castambul Formation p. 98
Montacute Dolomite p. 98
Skillogalee Dolomite p. 99
Napoleon Megabreccia Member p. 105
Evidence relating to penecontemporaneous volcanism in the Skillogalee Dolomite p. 105
Woolshed Flat Shale p. 105
Balhannah Shale Member p. 105
Environment and palaeogeography of the Mundallio Subgroup p. 106
Late Torrensian sediments of the Burra Group. p. 107
Stonyfell Quartzite p. 107
Undalya Quartzite p. 108
Saddleworth Formation p. 110
Bethel Shale Member p. 110
Beaumont Dolomite p. 110
Auburn Dolomite p. 110
Watervale Sandstone Member p. 113
Leasingham Quartzite Member p. 114
Cradock Quartzite p. 114
Minburra Quartzite p. 114
Glen Osmond Slate p. 114
Mintaro Shale p. 114
Myrtle Springs Formation p. 116
Kalachalpa Formation p. 116
Unnamed units of the upper part of the Burra Group p. 118
The Belair Subgroup—early Sturtian sediments of the upper part of the Burra Group p. 118
Mitcham Quartzite p. 118
Gilbert Range Quartzite p. 118
Kadlunga Slate p. 121
Burra Group equivalents in the Officer Basin p. 121
Regional synthesis of Burra Group sedimentation p. 121

Sturtian glaciogenic and equivalent sequences p. 128
Criteria for recognition of tillites p. 128
Criteria used to distinguish the older and younger Sturtian tillites in South Australia p. 128
Stratigraphic nomenclature of the tillites p. 129
The older Sturtian glacials and the Yudnamutana Subgroup p. 129
Fitton Formation p. 129
Bolla Bollana Tillite p. 132
Lyndhurst Formation p. 134
Pualco Tillite p. 134
Benda Siltstone p. 136
Braemar ironstone facies p. 136
Holowilena Ironstone p. 137
The younger Sturtian glacials p. 141
Sturt Tillite p. 141
Appila Tillite p. 146
Hansborough Tillite p. 148
Merinjina Tillite (new name) p. 148
Merinjina glaciated pavement p. 149
Serle Conglomerate p. 152
Calthorinna Tillite p. 154
Unnamed sandstone. p. 154
Wilyerpa Formation p. 156
Warcowie Dolomite Member. p. 159
Bibliando Tillite Member p. 161
The Farina Subgroup—basinal interglacial deposits of the Umberatana Group p. 161
Tapley Hill Formation p. 161
Tindelpina Shale Member p. 165
Mount Caernarvon Greywacke Member p. 165
Wockerawirra Dolomite Member p. 165
Yankaninna Siltstone Member p. 166
Eudunda Arkose Member p. 166
Woocalla Dolomite Member p. 166
Brighton Limestone p. 168
The Sturtian-Marinoan boundary problem p. 171
Balcanoona Formation p. 171
Thora Dolomite p. 172
Amberoona Formation p. 174
Tarcowie Siltstone p. 175
Cox Sandstone Member p. 175
Uroonda Siltstone Member p. 176
Waukaringa Siltstone p. 176
Enorama Shale p. 176
The Willochra Subgroup—shallow-water sediments in the upper part of the Umberatana Group p. .177
Angepena Formation p. 177
Wilmington Formation p. 180
Etina Formation p. 181
Weetootla Dolomite Member p. 182
Wundowie Limestone Member p. 182
Marino Arkose (Hallett Arkose) p. 184
Trezona Formation p. 186
Elatina Formation p. 186
Reynella Siltstone Member p. 190
Whyalla Sandstone p. 194
Depositional environments of the Elatina Formation and Whyalla Sandstone p. 196
The Yerelina Subgroup—Marinoan glacial sequences of the Umberatana Group p. 197
Fortress Hill Formation. p. 197
Mount Curtis Tillite p. 197
Balparana Sandstone p. 198
Pepuarta Tillite p. 198
Gumbowie Arkose p. 200
Grampus Quartzite p. 200
Unnamed siltstone p. 200
Depositional environment of the Yerelina Subgroup p. 201
Inter-regional correlatives of the Umberatana Group p. 201
Umberatana Group equivalents in the Officer Basin p. 201
Chambers Bluff Tillite p. 201
Wantapella Volcanics p. 202
Tapley Hill Formation equivalent p. 203
Rodda Beds p. 203
Etina Formation equivalents p. 203
Marinoan glacials p. 203
The Torrowangee Group—Umberatana Group equivalents in western NSW p. 203
Yancowinna Subgroup p. 203
Euriowie Subgroup p. 204
Teamsters Creek Subgroup p. 204
Umberatana Group equivalents in the Western Australian part of the Officer Basin p. 205
Umberatana Group equivalents in central Australia, western Queensland and the Kimberley region of Western Australia p. 205
Late Precambrian glacials of Tasmania p. 206
Late Precambrian glacials on other continents p. 207
North America p. 207
Africa p. 207
Eurasia p. 208
South America p. 208
Antarctica p. 209
Conclusions p. 209

Historical instruction p. 249
Basement constraints on the age of the base of the Adelaidean p. 250
Mount Painter and Mount Babbage Inliers p. 250
Houghton Inlier p. 250
Peake and Denison Ranges p. 250
Olary region p. 250
Stuart Shelf p. 250
Summary p. 250
Geochronology of sedimentary and volcanic rocks p. 251
Beda Volcanics p. 251
Curdimurka Subgroup p. 251
Burra Group p. 251
Sturtian glacials p. 251
Tapley Hill Formation p. 251
Willochra Subgroup p. 252
Brachina Formation and equivalents p. 252
Bunyeroo Formation equivalents p. 252
Delamerian granites p. 252
Discussion p. 252
Conclusions p. 253

• Geosynclines p. 255
• Aulacogens p. 256
• Crustal structure of the Adelaide Geosyncline p. 257
• Lineaments in relation to Adelaide Geosyncline tectonics p. p. 258
• Tectonic evolution of the Adelaide Geosyncline p. 260
• Willouran tectonics p. 262
• Torrensian tectonics p. 263
• Sturtian tectonics p. 265
• Marinoan tectonics p. 265
• Cambrian tectonics p. 268
• The Delamerian Orogeny p. 271
• Styles and generations of Delamerian folding p. 271
• Metamorphism and igneous activity p. 273
• Mechanisms of Delamerian folding p. 276
• Diapirs of the Flinders Ranges p. 278
• Causes of the Delamerian Orogeny p. 280

Background p. 283
Historical background p. 284
Animal fossils p. 284
Plant fossils and stromatolites p. 285
Modern studies in South Australian Precambrian palaeontology p. 285
Microfossils p. 286
Use of microfossils for correlation p. 286
Stromatolites p. 288
Stromatolites in the Callanna Group p. 290
Stromatolites in the Burra Group p. 295
Stromatolites in the Umberatana Group p. ..295
Stromatolites in the Wilpena Group p. 300
Use of stromatolites in correlation p. 300
Oncolites and catagraphs in biostratigraphy p. 304
Stromatolites and palaeoecology p. 306
Metazoa of the Ediacara assemblage p. 308
Distribution, age and significance of the Ediacara assemblage p. 313

• Willouran Epoch p. 315
• Torrensian Epoch p. 315
• Sturtian Epoch p. 315
• Marinoan Epoch p. 315
• Willouran Epoch
• W-1 Paralana time: early Willouran pre-rift clastic sedimentation p. 318
• W-2 Wywyana time: early Willouran pre-rift carbonate sedimentation p. 320
• W-3 Wooltana time: early Willouran rifting and basic volcanism p. 322
• W-4 Dome time: initiation of late Willouran rift-valley sedimentation p. 324
• W-5 Rook-Dunns Mine time: minor volcanism and late Willouran evaporitic carbonate rift-valley sedimentation p. 326
• W-6 Recovery-Hogan time: late Willouran evaporitic clastic and carbonate rift-valley sedimentation p. 328
• W-7 Cooranna-Boorloo time: late Willouran mixed evaporitic clastic-carbonate rift-valley sedimentation p. 330
• Torrensian Epoch
• T-1 Rhymie time: early Torrension fluvial sedimentation p. 332
• T-2 Blyth-Boconnoc-Ingomar time: first Torrensian transgression and deltaic progradation p. 334
• T-3 Stradbrooke-Benbournie time: second Torrensian transgression and deltaic progradation p. p. 336
• T-4 Bungaree time: maximum extent of second Torrensian deltaic progradation p. 338
• T-5 Castambul time: mid-Torrensian carbonate deposition p. 340
• T-6 Montacute time: mid-Torrensian magnesitic carbonate deposition p. 342
• T-7 Woolshed Flat time: third Torrensian transgression and deltaic progradation p. 344
• T-8 Undalya time: maximum extent of third Torrensian deltaic progradation p. 346
• T-9 Early Saddleworth time: fourth Torrensian marine transgression p. 348
• T-10 Watervale time: maximum extent of fourth Torrensian deltaic progradation p. 350
• T-11 Late Saddleworth time: fifth Torrensioan marine transgression p. 352
• T-12 Mintaro time: deposition of courser silt of fifth Torrensian deltaic progradation p. 354
• Sturtian Epoch
• S-1 Belair time: earliest Sturtian clastic sedimentation p. 356
• S-2 Early Sturtian hiatus: palaeogeology of the early Sturtian erosional landscape p. 358
• S-3 Pualco time: older Sturtian glacial maximum p. 360
• S-4 Benda time: older Sturtian glacial retreat p. 362
• S-5 Appila time: younger Sturtian glacial maximum p. 364
• S-6 Tapley Hill time: Sturtian post-glacial transgression p. 366
• S-7 Yankaninna time: late Sturtian regression p. 368
• S-8 Early Brighton time: terminal Sturtian regression p. 370
• S-9 Late Brighton time: end of terminal Sturtian regression p. 372
• Marinoan Epoch
• M-1 Early Angepena time: early Marinoan deposition with marginal redbeds p. 374
• M-2 Weetootia time: early Marinoan fine clastic deposition with expanding central Flinders Ranges carbonate platform p. 376
• M-3 Wundowie time: early Marinoan coarser clastic limestones p. 378
• M-4 Enorama time: early Marinoan transgression p. 380
• M-5 Trezona time: renewed early Marinoan platform carbonate deposition p. 382
• M-6 Fortress Hill time: initiation of Marinoan glaciation p. 384
• M-7 Mount Curtis time: Marinoan glacial maximum p. 386
• M-8 Balparana time: waning of Marinoan glaciation p. 388
• M-9 Nuccaleena time: initiation of Marinoan post-glacial transgression p. 390
• M-10 Moolooloo time: maximum Marinoan post-glacial transgression p. 392
• M-11 Moorillah time: commencement of progradation of the lower Wilpena Group p. 394
• M-12 Bayley Range time: further progradation of the lower Wilpena Group p. 396
• M-13 ABC Range time: maximum progradation of the lower Wilpena Group p. 398
• M-14 Bunyeroo time: second transgression of the Wilpena Group p. 400
• M-15 Wonoka time: progradation after second transgression of the Wilpena Group p. 402
• M-16 Bonney time: late Marinoan progradation of coastal sandflats p. 404
• M-17 Rawnsley time: terminal Marinoan renewed transgression and progradation p. 406
• Summary of Phanerozoic history p. 408
• Deposition of the Uratanna Formation p. 408
• Early Cambrian erosion p. 408
• Early Cambrian transgression and carbonate-platform deposition p. 408
• Early Cambrian redbed deposition and initiation of the Kanmantoo Trough p. 408
• Delamerian Orogeny p. 408
• Post-Delamerian p. 409