Sydney Basin

The Sydney Basin is a sedimentary basin on the east coast of New South Wales, Australia consisting of Permian and Triassic sedimentary rocks. It is named for the city of Sydney which is centred within it and stretches from Newcastle in the north to Batemans Bay in the south, and west to the Blue Mountains. The basin is also home to the major centres of the Newcastle and Wollongong, and contains economically significant reserves of coal. Sydney’s famous harbour and the sculptured cliffs of the Blue Mountains are signature formations of relatively hard upper strata of sandstone.

Extent

The Sydney basin extends through approximately 350 kilometres of coastline from Newcastle in the north to Durras Lake (near Batemans Bay) in the south. From Durras Lake the western boundary continues in a line through Lithgow to around Ulan (near Mudgee). To the north the boundary extends 120 kilometers along the Liverpool Range to a point 80 kilometers north of Muswellbrook, and then runs 200 kilometres back to the coast at Newcastle. To the east the basin continues to the edge of the continental shelf. [http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0007/96847/20758.gifSydney Basin Structure Diagram] . NSW Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved 24 March 2008.]

The total area of the basin is approximately 44,000 square kilometres onshore plus 5,000 kilometres offshore [http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/minerals/geological/overview/regional/sedimentary-basins/sydbasin Development of the Sydney Basin] . NSW Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved 24 March 2008.] .

The centre of the basin is located around 30 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD at Fairfield [http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscience/events/event-sydney-basin.htm Sydney Basin - Geological Overview] . Australian Museum. Retrieved 24 March 2008.] .

ee also

* Geology of Australia

External links

* [http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/Sydney+Basin+Bioregion NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service - Sydney Basin Bioregion]
* [http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/minerals/geological/overview/regional/sedimentary-basins/sydbasin NSW Department of Primary Industries - Sydney Basin - Geological Overview]

References