Government of Western Australia

Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety

RECORD 2017/14

SGTSG 2017 ALBANY–FRASER OROGEN

PRE-CONFERENCE FIELD TRIP: TRANSECT
ACROSS AN ARCHEAN CRATON MARGIN TO A
PROTEROZOIC OPHIOLITE

by
R Quentin de Gromard, CV Spaggiari, M Munro, J Sapkota, and M De Paoli
 Government of Western Australia
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety

Record 2017/14

SGTSG 2017 ALBANY–FRASER OROGEN

PRE-CONFERENCE FIELD TRIP: TRANSECT
ACROSS AN ARCHEAN CRATON MARGIN TO
A PROTEROZOIC OPHIOLITE

by
R Quentin de Gromard, CV Spaggiari, M Munro, J Sapkota,
and M De Paoli

Perth 2017
MINISTER FOR MINES AND PETROLEUM
Hon Bill Johnston MLA

DIRECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF MINES, INDUSTRY REGULATION AND SAFETY

David Smith

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Rick Rogerson

REFERENCE
The recommended reference for this publication is:
Quentin de Gromard, R, Spaggiari, CV, Munro, M, Sapkota, J and De Paoli, M 2017, SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen
pre-conference field trip: Transect across an Archean craton margin to a Proterozoic ophiolite: Geological Survey of Western
Australia, Record 2017/14, 100p.

National Library of Australia Card Number and ISBN 978-1-74168-782-8

Grid references in this publication refer to the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94). Locations mentioned in the text are
referenced using Map Grid Australia (MGA) coordinates, Zone 50 and 51. All locations are quoted to at least the nearest 100 m.

Disclaimer
This product was produced using information from various sources. The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
(DMIRS) and the State cannot guarantee the accuracy, currency or completeness of the information. DMIRS and the State accept no
responsibility and disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or costs incurred as a result of any use of or reliance whether wholly or in
part upon the information provided in this publication or incorporated into it by reference.

© State of Western Australia (Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety) 2017
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Published 2017 by Geological Survey of Western Australia

This Record is published in digital format (PDF) and is available online at <www.dmp.wa.gov.au/GSWApublications>.

Further details of geological products and maps produced by the Geological Survey of Western Australia
are available from:
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Cover image: Elongate salt lake on the Yilgarn Craton — part of the Moore–Monger paleovalley — here viewed from the top of
Wownaminya Hill, 20 km southeast of Yalgoo, Murchison Goldfields. Photograph taken by I Zibra for the Geological Survey of
Western Australia
 Contents
Preface.....................................................................................................................................................................1

Part 1: geological synthesis

Tectonic setting.......................................................................................................................................................1
The Australo-Antarctic link.............................................................................................................................1
Eucla basement and Musgrave Province..........................................................................................................4
Tectonic subdivisions of the Albany–Fraser Orogen..............................................................................................6
Northern Foreland............................................................................................................................................6
Geochronology of the Northern Foreland...............................................................................................11
Kepa Kurl Booya Province............................................................................................................................11
Tropicana Zone.......................................................................................................................................13
Biranup Zone..........................................................................................................................................16
Fraser Zone.............................................................................................................................................20
Nornalup Zone........................................................................................................................................25
Crustal evolution, tectonic events and models......................................................................................................26
Neoarchean.....................................................................................................................................................26
The 2722–2554 Ma Atlantis Event.........................................................................................................26
The 2520–2505 Ma Tropicana Event .....................................................................................................26
Paleoproterozoic.............................................................................................................................................27
1815–1800 Ma Salmon Gums Event......................................................................................................27
1780–1760 Ma Ngadju Event.................................................................................................................27
1710–1650 Ma Biranup Orogeny...........................................................................................................30
Mesoproterozoic.............................................................................................................................................32
c. 1500 Ma..............................................................................................................................................32
c. 1410 Ma..............................................................................................................................................32
1330–1140 Ma Albany–Fraser Orogeny.................................................................................................32
Stage I: 1330–1260 Ma....................................................................................................................32
Stage II: 1225–1140 Ma..................................................................................................................35

Part 2: the field guide

Overview of excursion localities...........................................................................................................................35
Day 1: Kalgoorlie to Fraser Range................................................................................................................35
Stop 1: Super Pit lookout........................................................................................................................35
Stop 2: The Hannan Lake – Mount Hunt traverse..................................................................................36
Regional setting...............................................................................................................................37
Stop 2a: Kambalda Komatiite..........................................................................................................38
Stop 2b: Devon Consols Basalt and Kapai Slate.............................................................................39
Stop 2c: Paringa Basalt....................................................................................................................40
Stop 2d: Black Flag Group..............................................................................................................44
Stop 3: Geology of the Northern Foreland..............................................................................................44
Stop 4: Geology of the Biranup Zone — Ten Mile Rock: Garnet Ice dimension stone quarry..............49
Day 2: Fraser Zone, Fraser Shear Zone, S-bend region.................................................................................52
Stop 5: The Fraser Shear Zone................................................................................................................52
Stop 5a: Lithologies and metamorphism of the Fraser Shear Zone.................................................52
Stop 5b: Isoclinally folded layering overprinted by shear zones and drag folds.............................53
Stop 5c: Large pavement exposure of the Fraser Shear Zone..........................................................53
Stop 6: Fraser Zone — Gnamma Hill.....................................................................................................53
Stop 7: Fraser Zone — interlayered metagabbro and hybrid rocks........................................................60
Stop 8: Biranup Zone, S-bend area — boudins and fold interference patterns......................................60
Stop 9: Biranup Zone, S-bend area — folds, shear zones and net-structured metatexite.......................62
Day 3: Newman Shear Zone and the Eastern Nornalup Zone.......................................................................62
Stop 10: Newman Shear Zone — Newman Rock...................................................................................62
Stop 11: Booanya Suite, eastern Nornalup Zone....................................................................................65
Afghan Rock....................................................................................................................................69
Stop 12: Rossiter Bay — net vein complex ...........................................................................................72
Field relationships and geochronology of granites at Cape le Grand..............................................72
Day 4: Day trip from Esperance to Point Malcolm via Cape Arid NP..........................................................75
Stop 13: Point Malcolm — Arubiddy Ophiolite Complex.....................................................................75
Malcolm Metamorphics...................................................................................................................75
Day 5: Travel to Bremer Bay.........................................................................................................................80
Stop 14: Eleven Mile Beach — Biranup–Nornalup Zone boundary......................................................80
Stop 15: Quagi Beach headland — Munglinup Gneiss..........................................................................81
Quagi Beach headland.....................................................................................................................84
Geochronological constraints of the Munglinup Gneiss..................................................................84

iii
 Mafic rocks......................................................................................................................................85
Stop 16: Point Ann .................................................................................................................................86
Stop 17: Mt Maxwell lookout.................................................................................................................86
Day 6: Travel to Denmark..............................................................................................................................86
Stop 18: Fisheries Bay............................................................................................................................86
Structural evolution of the Bremer Bay area...................................................................................89
Geochronology of the orthogneisses at Bremer Bay.......................................................................89
Fisheries Bay headland....................................................................................................................95
Stop 19: Banky Beach west headland.....................................................................................................95
References.............................................................................................................................................................95

Figures
1. Crustal elements of easternmost Gondwana ................................................................................................2
2. Simplified geological map of the Albany–Fraser Orogen ............................................................................3
3. Annotated geophysical image of the Madura province ................................................................................5
4. Geology and excursion route of the west Albany–Fraser Orogen ................................................................7
5. Geology and excursion route of the east Albany–Fraser Orogen .............................................................8, 9
6. Interpreted deep crustal seismic reflection lines ........................................................................................10
7. Photomicrographs from a transect across the Northern Foreland ..............................................................12
8. Geochronology and εHf evolution of granites of the Northern Foreland ...................................................13
9. Time-space diagram of the Albany–Fraser Orogen and Madura Province ................................................14
10. Interpretation of seismic reflection profile 12GA-T1 .................................................................................15
11. Geochronology of the Hercules Gneiss ......................................................................................................16
12. Geochronology and εHf evolution of the Biranup and Nornalup Zones ....................................................17
13. Photomicrographs of Biranup Zone rocks west of the Fraser Zone ...........................................................19
14. Aeromagnetic image of the southwestern half of the Fraser Zone ............................................................21
15. Field photographs of rocks of the Fraser Zone ..........................................................................................22
16. Geochronology and εHf evolution of the Fraser Zone ...............................................................................23
17. Key metamorphic textures of the Fraser Zone ...........................................................................................24
18. Geochronology and εHf evolution of granites of the Recherche Supersuite .............................................25
19. Geochronology and εHf evolution of granites of the Esperance Supersuite ..............................................26
20. Tectonic model for the evolution of the Barren Basin ...............................................................................28
21. Detrital zircon dates of individual units from the Barren Basin ................................................................29
22. Summary plot of detrital zircon dates from the Barren Basin ...... .............................................................30
23. Detrital zircon dates of individual units from the Arid Basin ....................................................................31
24. Summary plot of detrital zircon dates from the Arid Basin .......................................................................32
25. Mesoproterozoic tectonic evolution models, 1500–1410 Ma ....................................................................33
26. Mesoproterozoic tectonic evolution models, 1330–1300 Ma ....................................................................34
27. Topographic map showing excursion route ................................................................................................36
28. Gravity image showing excursion route and major structures ...................................................................37
29. Aeromagnetic image showing excursion route and major structures .........................................................38
30. Pre-Cenozoic interpreted bedrock geology showing excursion route ..................................................39, 40
31. Panoramic view over the Fimiston Open Pit ..............................................................................................41
32. Simplified map and sketch of the Mount Hunt area ...................................................................................41
33. Tectonostratigraphic terranes of the Yilgarn Craton ...................................................................................42
34. Stratigraphic column of the Kalgoorlie–Kambalda area ............................................................................42
35. Field photographs from Stop 2a, Serpentine Bay area ...............................................................................43
36. Field photographs from Stop 2b, Mount Hunt area ...................................................................................44
37. Interpretive map and structures of the Mount Hunt area ............................................................................45
38. Field photographs from Stop 2c, Mount Hunt area ....................................................................................46
39. Field photographs from Stop 2d, Mount Hunt area ...................................................................................46
40. Aeromagnetic image, structures, and excursion route of the S-bend area .................................................47
41. Interpreted bedrock geology of the S-bend area ........................................................................................48
42. Field photographs from Stop 3, Northern Foreland ...................................................................................50
43. Photomicrographs of rocks along the salt lake at Stop 3 ...........................................................................50
44. Field photographs from Stop 4, Garnet Ice quarry, Biranup Zone .............................................................51
45. Field photographs of the Fraser Shear Zone ..............................................................................................54
46. Photomicrographs of mafic gneisses from the Fraser Shear Zone .............................................................55
47. Field photos from Stop 5, Fraser Shear Zone ............................................................................................56
48. Field photographs from Stop 6, Gnamma Hill, southwestern Fraser Zone ...............................................57
49. Key metamorphic textures in pelitic gneiss from Gnamma Hill ................................................................58
50. Field photographs from Stop 7 and surrounding area ................................................................................59
51. Preliminary U–Pb zircon geochronology from Stop 7 ...............................................................................60
52. Field photographs from Stop 8, Mount Andrew Track ..............................................................................61
53. Field photographs from Stop 9, Mount Andrew Track ..............................................................................63
54. Field photographs from the southwestern end of the Newman Shear Zone...............................................65
55. Field photos from the Newman Shear Zone at Newman Rock, Stop 10 ....................................................66
56. Photomicrographs of from the Newman Shear Zone .................................................................................67
57. Aeromagnetic image of the area around Afghan Rock, Stop 11 ................................................................68

iv
58. Aeromagnetic image and structures of the southeastern Nornalup Zone ...................................................69
59. Interpretation of seismic profile 12GA-AF1 ..............................................................................................70
60. Photographs and photomicrographs of Afghan Rock ................................................................................71
61. Aeromagnetic image and topographic map of the Cape le Grand area ......................................................73
62. Photographs of intrusive rocks along the coast east of Esperance .............................................................74
63. Aeromagnetic image overlain by semi-transparent 1: 250 000 IBG surrounding Stop 13 ........................76
64. Arial photograph of the Point Malcolm coastal platform ..........................................................................77
65. Photographs of the Malcolm Metamorphics ..............................................................................................78
66. Preliminary U–Pb analytical data from the Malcolm Metamorphics ........................................................78
67. Log Th/Yb vs. Nb/Yb diagram for mafic rocks of the Madura Province ..................................................80
68. Aeromagnetic image and geology of the area west of Esperance ..............................................................81
69. Photographs of rocks at Eleven Mile Beach ..............................................................................................82
70. Interpreted structural architecture of the area around Eleven Mile Beach .................................................82
71. Aeromagnetic image and major structures of the Munglinup Gneiss ........................................................83
72. Detail of seismic line 12GA-AF2 showing interpreted linework ...............................................................84
73. Photographs of the Munglinup Gneiss .......................................................................................................85
74. Photographs of the Kybulup Schist from Point Ann ..................................................................................87
75. Photographs of the Kundip Quartzite .........................................................................................................87
76. Aeromagnetic image of the Biranup Zone in the Bremer Bay region .......................................................88
77. Photographs of structures in the Bremer Bay area .....................................................................................90
78. Simplified map and cross-section of the Bremer Bay area ........................................................................92
79. Photographs of dating sites in the Bremer Bay area ..................................................................................93

Tables
1. Summary of units defining the Arubiddy Ophiolite Complex..........................................................................78
2. Summary of geochronology and related structures in the Bremer Bay area....................................................90

v
vi
 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference
field trip: Transect across an Archean craton margin
to a Proterozoic ophiolite

by
R Quentin de Gromard, CV Spaggiari, M Munro, J Sapkota, and M De Paoli

Preface
This Record was produced for the pre-conference field trip on 1–7 November for the SGTSG Denmark 2017 Biennial Meeting of the Specialist Group
in Tectonics and Structural Geology, Geological Society of Australia, Denmark Riverside Club, Denmark, WA, 8–12 November 2017. The field guide
is presented in two parts: Part 1 is a synthesis of the current understanding of the Albany–Fraser Orogen, whereas Part 2 provides descriptions of each
of the excursion localities, and additional detail on the relevant lithological units and structures.

Part 1: geological synthesis

This section contains an overview of the tectonic and stratigraphic units of the Albany–Fraser Orogen, and its tectonic
evolution. Description and interpretation of field observations, geochemical, isotopic, geochronological and geophysical
datasets are integrated into our current understanding of the geological history of the Albany–Fraser Orogen, and proposed
tectonic models.

Tectonic setting Orogen is truncated by the Darling Fault Zone, interpreted

The Albany–Fraser Orogen is a Paleoproterozoic to
Mesoproterozoic belt exposed along the southern and
southeastern margin of the Archean Yilgarn Craton
in Western Australia (Figs 1, 2). It is interpreted to
form part of the West Australian Craton (WAC) and is
separated from the South Australian Craton (SAC) by
the Proterozoic Madura and Coompana Provinces, and
from the North Australian Craton (NAC) by the Musgrave
Province (Figs 1, 2). The Madura and Coompana
Provinces are entirely concealed by Neoproterozoic to
Cenozoic basins, including the Officer, Canning, Bight
and Eucla Basins (Figs 1, 2). As a result, the geological
history of these basement provinces has been based
largely on the interpretation of magnetic, gravity and deep-
crustal seismic reflection data constrained by lithological,
geochemical, geochronological and structural data from
basement drillcores (Spaggiari and Smithies, 2015;
Spaggiari et al., 2017a). The Musgrave Province, however,
is well-exposed at the triple junction between the WAC,
NAC and SAC and its geological history is relatively
well-known, permitting correlations between provinces to
be assessed. Although the Albany–Fraser Orogen shares
similarities in the timing of Mesoproterozoic events with
the Madura, Coompana and Musgrave Provinces, there
are distinct differences in their basement components
(Kirkland et al., 2015a). To the west, the Albany–Fraser
to have formed during the assembly of Gondwana during
the Meso- to Neoproterozoic Pinjarra Orogeny (Figs 1, 2).
The Albany–Fraser Orogen intersects several terranes of
the Yilgarn Craton: the South West Terrane, the Southern
Cross Domain of the Youanmi Terrane, and the Kalgoorlie,
Kurnalpi, Burtville and Yamarna Terranes of the Eastern
Goldfields Superterrane (Fig. 2). The tectonic boundaries
of these terranes and the greenstone belts within them
typically have northwest trends, at a high angle to the
Albany–Fraser Orogen. However, within the orogen these
boundaries and the structural grain is obscure due to
magmatism, deformation and metamorphism.
The Australo-Antarctic link
The Albany–Fraser Orogen is interpreted to be part of the
larger Australo–Antarctic, Albany–Fraser–Wilkes Orogen
that was linked prior to the breakup of Gondwana and the
opening of the Southern Ocean during the Cretaceous
(Fig. 1; Fitzsimons, 2003; Boger, 2011; Aitken et al.,
2016). There is general agreement in paleogeographic
reconstructions of the Australo-Antarctic Craton that the
Wilkes Land of Antarctica and southern Australia were
contiguous during the Mesoproterozoic and until the Late
Jurassic (Fitzsimons, 2003; Williams et al., 2011; Boger,

1
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Cambrian and younger orogens:

1000 km
Ross–Delamerian, Lachlan, Thomson, and New England Orogens

Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Orogens:

Pinjarra Orogen

East African Orogen

130
Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic provinces

1 40 E
E
in Australo-Antartic:
Albany–Fraser–Wilkes Orogen
North Australian 20 S
Mawson Craton Craton
Possible extensions of
the Mawson Craton
Australian elements:

New rogen
Arunta Orogen
120
Proterozoic basins

O
Thom

Eng
Orog
Paterson
E

Proterozoic orogens,

land
Orogen

son
undifferentiated

en
Pilbara
Archean cratons Musgrave 30 S

Capricorn Orogen CCr

South Australian

Lachgen
Oro
West Australian
M-F-W CP Gawler Craton
Craton

lan
Dela rogen
O
meria
Yilgarn
Albany–Fraser

n
Pinjarra Orogen AG
Greater India Orogen
70 S
Leeuwin WI
Complex

Orogen
BH

Ross
DG
140 E
120
E
80

10
E

Trans untains
E

Undifferentiated PB
Mo

Precambrian MR
-Anta

basement 80
E
rcti

?
N
c

20 ? SPCM
60 E

40 E

E
20

DML SR
Undifferentiated
0

80 S Precambrian Basement
East African Orogen
Indo-Antarctica
em ent
bria n bas Afro-Antarctica
dP recam
WEST GONDWANA ferentiate
Undif
CS79b 09.08.11

Figure 1. Crustal elements of easternmost Gondwana. Where paler and darker shades of the same colour are shown,
the paler colour indicates large areas without outcrop where the crustal element is inferred. AG: Terre Adélie
– King George V Land; BH: Bunger Hills; CCr: Curnamona Craton; CP: Coompana Province (concealed by
the Officer and Eucla Basins); DG: Denman Glacier region; DML: Dronning Maud Land; M–F–W: Madura,
Forrest, and Waigen Provinces (undivided; concealed by the Canning, Officer, and Eucla Basins); MR: Miller
Range; PB: Prydz Bay; SPCM: southern Prince Charles Mountains; SR: Shackleton Range; WI: Windmill
Islands. After Spaggiari et al. (2011), and references therein.

2
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

PO Yamarna Canning Basin Officer

Kalgoorlie Kurnalpi Burtville Terrane Basin
Terrane Terrane Terrane

SZ
Tropicana

ne
YILGARN CRATON Au Fig. 3

l ee

Zo
ee
EASTERN GOLDFIELDS

p
PO

COOMPANA PROVINCE
nd

alu
Perth Youanmi SUPERTERRANE

Cu
Ida Fa

orn
Basin Terrane

Mundrabilla Sz
N
Kalgoorlie

rn
ult

ste
Sy

ea
Fault

ste

Sz
WF

m
Perth lt Nova

Rodona
32° au
F Ni–Cu–Co
INDIAN ttu
p Fig. 5
cu ALBANY–FRASER
Darling

OCEAN South West a

Terrane rd OROGEN
Je

Trilogy MADURA
Au–Cu–Ag–Pb–Zn PROVINCE
Esperance
PO MGB
Manjimup Fault SRF e Sz MM
heyn
ood –C SOUTHERN OCEAN
Fig. 4 Southdown Heyw
Albany Fe–Mag 200 km
116° western Nornalup Zone 120° 124° 128°
CS204b 07/12/17
Madura Province
Undivided (1600–1100 Ma) Nornalup Zone (1815–1650 Ma) Terrane boundary
Coompana Province Biranup Zone (1815–1625 Ma) Major faults
and Archean remnants
Undivided (1610–1100 Ma) Barren Basin, undivided Coastline
(1815–1600 Ma) Town
Albany–Fraser Orogen
Tropicana Zone, undivided
Esperance Supersuite (1200–1140 Ma) (2720–1700 Ma)

Fraser Zone (1310–1280 Ma) Northern Foreland

Recherche Supersuite (1330–1280 Ma) Munglinup Gneiss (2800–2660 Ma) North Australian
Craton
and Nornalup Zone remnants PO

Lin man
Undivided

e
West MP

s
Snowys Dam Formation

Ta
Australian
Craton
Arid N
South
Australian
Gwynne Creek Gneiss Basin Craton
(1600–1310 Ma) L AFO
Malcolm Metamorphics
1000 km

Figure 2. Simplified geological map of the Albany–Fraser Orogen and Madura Province; PO – Pinjarra Orogen, MBG – Mount
Barren Group, SRF – Stirling Range Formation, SZ – Shear Zone, WF – Woodline Formation. Inset: L – Leeuwin Inlier,
N – Northampton Inlier, PO – Paterson Orogen. Modified from Spaggiari et al. (2015).

2011; Aitken et al., 2016). Minor discrepancies relate to
the early rift phase between the two continents (Williams
et al., 2011), but overall, the reconstructions realign the
Terre Adelie Craton with the South Australian Craton,
and the Windmills Islands region with the Esperance
region of the Albany–Fraser Orogen. Using gravity
and aeromagnetic data, Aitken (2016) links the major
structures of southern Australia with those of eastern
Antarctica.
The Windmill Islands region of the Wilkes Land coast
of east Antarctica (Fig. 1) records two major periods
of orogenesis extending from c. 1350 to 1160 Ma that
broadly correlate with Stages I and II of the Albany–
Fraser Orogeny (Clark et al., 2000; Fitzsimons, 2003;
Zhang et al., 2012; Morrissey et al., 2017). Significant
detrital zircon populations in this region include dates
of c. 1800, 1600 and 1400 Ma interpreted as the ages
of magmatic components in the detrital source regions
(Zhang et al., 2012; Morrissey et al., 2017). These ages
are similar to magmatic components in the Albany–Fraser
Orogen and the Madura, Coompana and Musgrave
Provinces (Clark et  al., 2000; Kirkland et al., 2011a,
2015a; Spaggiari and Smithies, 2015; Howard et al.,
2015; Smithies et al., 2015b; see ‘Eucla Basement
and Musgrave Province’ section). A 1350–1300 Ma
depositional interval is interpreted for metasedimentary
rocks of the Windmill Islands that can directly correlate
with the depositional age of metasedimentary rocks of
the upper portion of the Arid Basin of the Albany–Fraser
Orogen (Spaggiari et al., 2014b; Morrissey et al., 2017)
(see ‘Arid Basin’ section).
The linking of the Bunger Hills area of east Antarctica
(Fig. 1) with the Albany–Fraser Orogen has been more
controversial; however our current understanding of the
Albany–Fraser Orogen supports a strong link between
these two regions. The Bunger Hills area contains
c.  2800–2700 Ma Archean basement, c. 1700–1500 Ma
paragneisses of variable compositions, interpreted as a
volcano-sedimentary sequence, and c. 1260, 1200, 1170
and 1151 Ma granitic and gabbroic rocks, including
opx-bearing granites (Sheraton et al., 1993; Tucker
et  al., 2017). Archean basement is also found in the

3
Quentin de Gromard et al.
nearby Obruchev Hills (c. 2641 Ma tonalitic orthogneiss;
Sheraton et al., 1993). These protolith crystallization ages
and the events they represent have marked similarities with
those of the Albany–Fraser Orogen, which also includes
Archean basement (Kirkland et al., 2011a). However,
of notable absence is the lack of the 1330–1280  Ma
Recherche Supersuite, although magmatism recorded
at c.  1260 Ma may represent delayed along-strike
magmatism (Tucker et al., 2017). Peak metamorphic
conditions in the Bunger Hills area are interpreted to
have reached granulite facies conditions (750–800°C and
5–6 kbars) at 1190 ± 15 Ma followed by the emplacement
of voluminous mantle-derived magmas between c. 1170
and 1150 Ma (Sheraton et al., 1993). Metamorphic
zircons with ages between 1300–1270 Ma have also been
recorded (Tucker et al., 2017). These features share strong
similarities with metamorphic conditions and magmatism
to those of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny, particularly
Stage II (see ‘Albany–Fraser Orogeny’ section).
Eucla basement and Musgrave
Province
Reworking of the Archean Yilgarn Craton related to
Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic events within
the Albany–Fraser Orogen extends as far east as the
Rodona Shear Zone (Figs 2 and 3; Kirkland et al., 2011a;
Spaggiari et al., 2014c, 2015; Spaggiari, 2016). The
Rodona Shear Zone marks the boundary between the
Albany–Fraser Orogen and the Madura Province, and the
Mundrabilla Shear Zone separates the Madura Province
from the Coompana Province (Figs 2 and 3; Spaggiari
and Tyler, 2014; Spaggiari and Smithies, 2015; Spaggiari
et al., 2017a). The Madura and Coompana Provinces
are completely covered by the Cretaceous to Cenozoic
Bight and Eucla Basins, which in part are underlain by
Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the
intracratonic Officer and Canning Basins (Lowry, 1970;
Reynolds, 2016). The Musgrave Province is an east-
trending Mesoproterozoic orogen relatively well exposed
at the triple junction between the North, South and West
Australian Cratons. Extensive work during the 13-year
long mapping program undertaken by the Geological
Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) in the west
Musgrave Province provides a good understanding of the
evolution of the province (Fig 1; see Howard et al. (2015)
and references therein for a comprehensive review).
The Albany–Fraser Orogen shares some temporal
tectonomagmatic similarities with the Madura, Coompana
and Musgrave Provinces, particularly during the
Mesoproterozoic (Myers et al., 1996; Clark et al., 2000;
Howard et al., 2015; Spaggiari and Smithies, 2015;
Kirkland et al., 2015a). The Mount West Orogeny,
during which were emplaced granitic magmas of the
1345– 1293  Ma Wankanki Supersuite in the Musgrave
Province, broadly coincides with Stage I of the
Albany–Fraser Orogeny and the emplacement of the
1330– 1276 Ma Recherche Supersuite (Clark et al., 2000;
Smithies et  al., 2010, 2015b; Kirkland et al., 2015a).
Additionally, the 1220–1150 Pitjantjatjara Supersuite,
emplaced during the Musgrave Orogeny, and the
4
1192–1125 Ma Moodini Supersuite of the Madura and
Coompana Provinces, broadly coincide with Stage II of
the Albany–Fraser Orogeny and the emplacement of the
1198–1140 Esperance Supersuite (Clark et al., 2000;
Smithies et al., 2010, 2015b; Kirkland et al., 2015a).
The c. 1610 Ma Toolgana Supersuite of the Coompana
Province and the 1415–1389 Haig Cave Supersuite of
the Madura Province coincide temporarily with the
1607–1542 Warlawurru Supersuite and the poorly exposed
c. 1400 Ma Papulankutja Supersuite of the Musgrave
Province, respectively, but do not have magmatic
equivalents in the Albany–Fraser Orogen (Howard et al.,
2011; Wingate et al., 2015a,b; Quentin de Gromard et al.,
2016). However, the Toolgana Supersuite is strongly
linked both temporarily and geochemically with the
St Peter Suite of the Gawler Craton (Dutch et al., 2016;
Kirkland et al., 2017). Furthermore, the Paleoproterozoic
magmatic events of the Albany–Fraser Orogen — the
1815–1800, 1780–1760 and 1710–1650 Ma Salmon Gums
and Ngadju Events and the Biranup Orogeny, respectively
— do not have their magmatic equivalents in the Madura,
Coompana and Musgrave Provinces.
Although strong temporal links exist, whole-rock
geochemistry and isotope data from all these regions
indicate significant differences in their evolution and
respective basements. The Musgrave, Madura and
Coompana Provinces represent juvenile crustal remnants
of Proterozoic Australia, while the Albany–Fraser
Orogen, in comparison, is dominated by evolved material
(Spaggiari and Smithies, 2015; Kirkland et al., 2015a,
2017; Smithies et al., 2015b). The Albany–Fraser Orogen
is interpreted as the Proterozoic modification of Archean
Yilgarn Craton continental crust, while the Madura and
Coompana Provinces of the Eucla basement and the early
stages of the evolution of the Musgrave Province are
interpreted to reflect the evolution of oceanic lithosphere
of the Mirning Ocean that originated around 1950–1900
Ma, and its reworked counterparts (Kirkland et al.,
2011a, 2017; Spaggiari and Smithies, 2015; Spaggiari
et al., 2015). Only minor amounts of evolved material
are found in the Madura Province consistent with the
interpretation of a hyperextended margin that evolved
into an ocean-continent transition (Spaggiari et al., 2015;
Kirkland et al., 2017). The evolution of the Mirning
Ocean and successive oceanic arcs formed within it reflect
plate tectonic processes between the WAC and the SAC
dominated by extension and juvenile crust production
during subduction. This includes the emplacement of
the c.  1610 Ma Toolgana Supersuite in the Coompana
Province whose composition suggests a subduction-
modified mantle source consistent with derivation from
a mantle wedge or subduction-modified lithosphere in
a primitive-arc setting (Smithies et al., 2015c; Kirkland
et al., 2017). The c. 1490 Ma Undawidgi Supersuite, from
the northwestern part of the Coompana Province, has
compositions and juvenile Hf consistent with extensional
processes and mantle input into pre-existing oceanic arc
crust, most likely the c. 1610 Ma Toolgana Supersuite
(Smithies et al., 2015c; Spaggiari et al., 2016b; Kirkland
et al., 2017).
The 1415–1389 Haig Cave Supersuite of the Madura
Province has mantle-like isotope values and whole-
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

124°E 125° 126° 127° 128°

YILGARN
CRATON
MADURA

e
PROVINCE
30°S on
rZ
ea
Sh

Mundrabilla Shear Zone

NSD COOMPANA
lee

E
Burkin

N
ee

PROVINCE

Zone
e

ZO
Big Red
on
nd

E
rZ
ON
Cu

ea

hear
FOR010

ne
SE
Sh
PZ

Zo
NORNALUP MAD014

ent S
er

ar
as
NU

ZONE
ne

Loongana FOR011
FR

e
Fr

Sh
Zo

Serp
RA

a
ar

MAD002

ar
he

12GA-AF3

aw
Haig
BI

oS

31°

uly
13GA-EG1 FOR008
ero

M
Su
Woodcu

one
nd

MAD011
nse

Serpent
o

ar Z
Bo

FOR012 FOR004
Sh

Sh e
tters Sz

ear

ona
Zon

Rod
e

e
on
arZ
ALBANY–FRASER Moodini rS
he
32° OROGEN rde Eucla 1
Bo

Hannah

ne
r Zo
ea
Sh
ona
33° od
tR
e

es
on

W
rZ
ea
Sh
na
do
Ro
st
Ea

GSWA stratigraphic drillcores

Point Malcolm
EIS co-funded drillcores
Cape Pasley
Donated drillcores
100 km
CS299 03/10/17

Figure 3. Combined gravity (colour) and first vertical derivative aeromagnetic (greyscale) image showing tectonic units, major
structures, seismic lines, and the locations of drillholes and prospects.

rock geochemical data indicate melting of a subduction is interpreted to have completed by 1330 Ma, triggering
modified N-MORB source (Smithies et al., 2015d). This Stage I of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny (Smithies et al.,
has been interpreted to have occurred in an oceanic arc 2015b; Spaggiari et al., 2015).
setting, forming the Loongana Arc (Spaggiari et al.,
2015). The metamorphosed sedimentary and basaltic rocks Synchronously, the Musgrave Province records
exposed at Point Malcolm (Figs 2 and 3; see Stop 13) are subduction-related magmatism during the Mount West
interpreted as fore-arc deposits most likely associated with Orogeny with the emplacement of the 1345–1293 Ma
formation of the Loongana Arc (Spaggiari et al., 2015; Wankanki Supersuite and the deposition of the syn- to
Smithies et al., 2015d). Accretion of the Loongana Arc post-orogenic, volcano-sedimentary sequence of the
onto the WAC margin, represented by the easternmost 1340– 1270 Ma Wirku Metamorphics into the Ramarama
Albany–Fraser Orogen (i.e. the eastern Nornalup Zone) Basin (Smithies et al., 2010; Evins et al., 2012; Howard

5
Quentin de Gromard et al.
et al., 2015). The Mount West Orogeny represents the
subduction phase in the Musgrave Province that formed
the precursor to the prolonged, ultra-high temperature
Musgrave Orogeny, during which were emplaced
mantled-derived granitic magmas of the voluminous
1219– 1148 Ma Pitjantjatjara Supersuite (Edgoose et al.,
2004; Smithies et al., 2010). This enormous magmatic
event is interpreted to result from delamination of the
lithosphere following subduction (Gorczyk et al., 2015).
The Madura and Coompana Provinces preserve
widespread mantled-derived magmas of the Moodini
Supersuite, typically high-KFe, mafic to A-type felsic
intrusions, dated at 1192–1140 in the Coompana Province
and 1181–1125 Ma in the Madura Province (Wingate
et al., 2015a,b; Spaggiari et al., 2016b). In the Albany–
Fraser Orogen, the 1198–1140 Ma Esperance Supersuite,
emplaced during stage II of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny,
records additional juvenile mantle material into crustal
melts of Archean to Proterozoic basement, and very
high crustal temperatures (Smithies et al., 2015b). This
widespread and voluminous magmatic event ubiquitously
present in the Musgrave Province and also in the
Coompana and Madura Provinces and the Albany–Fraser
Orogen has been referred to as the Maralinga Event
(Spaggiari et al., 2016b). The voluminous magmatism
effectively cratonized remnant oceanic basement of the
Madura and Coompana Provinces (Spaggiari et al., 2016b;
Kirkland et al., 2017). For this reason, it is evident that
continental collision between the WAC and SAC did not
occur, at least in this region (Spaggiari et al., 2016a).
In the Musgrave Province, the Musgrave Orogeny
formed the precursor to the Giles Event that commenced
with the deposition of siliciclastic sediments and the
extrusion of mafic magmas of the 1085–1075 Ma
Kunmarnara Group into the Bentley Basin of the
intracontinental Ngaanyatjarra Rift (Evins et al., 2010;
Quentin de Gromard et al., 2016). This was followed
by the emplacement of the 1084–1030 Ma Warakurna
Supersuite, which includes the giant layered mafic–
ultramafic Giles intrusions (G1 intrusions), mixed and
mingled gabbros and leucogranites (G2 gabbros) and the
Alcurra Dolerite intrusions and bimodal volcanic rocks
of the Talbot Supervolcano (Howard et al., 2009; Evins
et al., 2010; Smithies et al., 2013a, 2015a; Quentin de
Gromard et al., 2017c). The Giles Event appears to have
no counterpart in either the Albany–Fraser Orogen nor
the Madura and Coompana Provinces, although data are
limited from the latter two. While no record of significant
post-Mesoproterozoic tectonism has been found in the
Albany–Fraser Orogen or in the Madura and Coompana
Provinces, apart from the formation of the overlying
basins, the Musgrave Province has been affected by
Neoproterozoic amagmatic intracontinental reactivation
during the 580–520 Ma Petermann Orogeny (Camacho
and McDougall, 2000; Edgoose et al., 2004; Howard et
al., 2015). Furthermore, there is growing evidence from
medium- to low-temperature thermochronology data that
this post-magmatic intracontinental reactivation was long-
lived, largely pre- and post-dating the Petermann Orogeny
(Quentin de Gromard et al., 2017a,b).
6
Tectonic subdivisions of the
Albany–Fraser Orogen
The Albany–Fraser Orogen extends over a distance of at
least 1200 km along the southern and southeastern margin
of the Archean Yilgarn Craton and is geographically
subdivided into the west, central, and east Albany–
Fraser Orogen (Figs 2, 4 and 5). Apart from its rifted
extensions in Antarctica, the tectonic subdivisions of the
Albany–Fraser Orogen all lie within Western Australia.
The Albany–Fraser Orogen comprises two main tectonic
units — the Northern Foreland and the Kepa Kurl Booya
Province — that differ in their structural position and
degree of craton modification (Spaggiari et al., 2009,
2014a).
Northern Foreland
The Northern Foreland (Figs 2, 4 and 5) was originally
defined and documented in Myers (1990) as ‘the southern
part of the Yilgarn Craton into which large numbers of
dykes were emplaced subparallel with the orogen, and
onto which thrust sheets of metasedimentary rocks were
transposed from the south. In this definition, Myers
(1990) describes a dyke swarm — the Gnowangerup dyke
swarm — that lies sub-parallel to the trend of the Albany–
Fraser Orogen and extends into the Yilgarn Craton for
about 100 km. Within the craton, the dykes are generally
not deformed nor metamorphosed and are increasingly
recrystallized towards the Albany–Fraser Orogen,
and only thin remnants of strongly recrystallized and
intensely deformed dykes occur within it (Myers, 1990).
In Myers’ (1990) original work, the Northern Foreland
was considered part of the Yilgarn Craton and formed
the foreland to the Albany–Fraser Orogen. Its proximity
to the craton, and the thrust setting of greenschist to
amphibolite facies metasedimentary rocks (Stirling Range
Formation, Mount Barren Group, Woodline Formation)
over the Yilgarn Craton justified its ‘orogenic foreland’
nomenclature. The compilation of the Albany 1:1 000 000
geological map led Myers (1995a) to re-attribute the
Northern Foreland as a subdivision of the Albany–Fraser
Orogen.
The definition of the Northern Foreland has remained but
now includes the c. 2718–2640 Ma Munglinup Gneiss
(Figs 2, 4 and 5; Spaggiari et al., 2009, 2011). The
Munglinup Gneiss was originally interpreted as part of
an Archean exotic terrane accreted to the Yilgarn Craton
during the Albany–Fraser Orogeny, in part because of a
perceived difference in the protolith age of the granitic
gneiss (Nelson et al., 1995; Myers et al., 1996). However,
new geochronology, Hf-isotope data and whole-rock
geochemistry confirmed that the Munglinup Gneiss is
a higher metamorphic grade equivalent of the Northern
Foreland, and comprises reworked Archean Yilgarn Craton
rocks, including minor sanukitoid metagranite (Spaggiari
et al., 2009, 2011; Kirkland et al., 2011a; Smithies et al.,
2015b). The Northern Foreland is therefore dominated by
Archean Yilgarn Craton rocks that have been affected by
Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic events (Spaggiari
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

Localities Major fault

1 Field trip stops Thrust
100 km
Field trip route Syncline Kawana Fault
U–Pb zircon geochronology
sample (date in Ma) Beulah
Synform
1695 ± 16 Magmatic crystallization age

1298 ± 12 Metamorphic age

1917 ± 13 (1s)
lt
1332 ± 21 Maximum depositional age
p Fau
arru
rac
Yar 1851 ± 30 34°
Darling Faul

up Fau
lt 17 16
Manjim
1680 ± 7
2681 ± 5
18 1178 ± 3
Pembert
on Fault Bremer bay 19 120°
t

Northcliffe Fault Millers Point Thrust

Night 5
e Sz
Heywood–Cheyn 1670 ± 12
1178 ± 4

End
116° Denmark Albany
1174 ± 12 1289 ± 10
118°

Early Cretaceous
Neoarchean Paleoproterozoic Mesoproterozoic

Warnbro Group Perth Basin

Albany–Fraser Orogeny Stage II (1225–1140 Ma)
1198–1140 Ma Esperance Supersuite
Albany–Fraser Orogeny Stage I (1330–1260 Ma)
Biranup Orogeny (1710–1650 Ma)

Albany–Fraser Orogen
Kepa Kurl
1800–1600 Ma Granitic gneiss interlayered with metagabbro Nornalup Zone Booya Province
2000–1690 Ma Mount Barren Group
Barren Basin
2000–1800 Ma Stirling Range Formation

Granodioritic and monzogranitic layered gneiss

2800–1600 Ma Biranup Zone
Metagranitic and gneissic rocks dominant
Kepa Kurl
2718–1140 Ma Munglinup Gneiss Booya Province
Northern Foreland
2800–1140 Ma Metagranitic and metamorphosed mafic rocks

RQ62 07/12/17

Figure 4. Interpreted bedrock geology of the western Albany–Fraser Orogen showing geology, structure, published GSWA
geochronology and excursion route and stops. The geology of the Yilgarn Craton is shaded and no legend is shown
for it. Modified from the 1: 2 500 000 State map (GSWA, 2015).

et al., 2009, 2011, 2014a). These rocks include greenschist the Cundeelee Shear Zone and the Manjimup Fault,
and amphibolite to granulite facies Archean gneisses and respectively. Along the 12GA-AF2 seismic profile,
granites, remnant greenstones, and younger dolerite dykes. the Cundeelee Shear Zone is imaged as an upper- to
mid-crustal, listric, southeast-dipping structure (Fig.  6;
In the central part of the Albany–Fraser Orogen, the Spaggiari et al., 2014c). The Northern Foreland is
Northern Foreland is separated from the Yilgarn Craton separated from the eastern Biranup Zone by a series of
by the Jerdacuttup Fault and from the Biranup Zone of shear zones including the Frog Dam Shear Zone, and from
the Kepa Kurl Booya Province by the Red Island Shear the western Biranup Zone by the Millers Point Thrust and
Zone (Figs 2, 5). The Jerdacuttup Fault marks a major other unnamed faults (Figs 4, 5).
change from Archean northwesterly trending structures
to Proterozoic northeasterly trending structures (Fig.  2; The intensity of Proterozoic deformation in the Northern
Myers, 1990; Witt, 1998; Spaggiari et al., 2009) and Foreland increases towards the Biranup Zone, and away
is interpreted as an upper-crustal, listric, southeasterly from the craton interior (Spaggiari et al., 2009, 2011). In
dipping structure along the 12GA-AF2 deep seismic the west Albany–Fraser Orogen, deformation of Archean
reflection profile (Fig. 6; Spaggiari et al., 2014c). gneisses and dolerite dykes was contemporaneous with
amphibolite facies metamorphism (Beeson et al., 1988).
In the east and west Albany–Fraser Orogen, the Northern
Foreland is separated from the Yilgarn Craton by

7
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Localities
1 Field trip stops

ault
el F
Field trip route 12GA-T1-CDP

arr
U–Pb zircon geochronology

nb
sample (date in Ma)

Gu
Seismic survey

SZ
Major shear zone 30°

Z
lee

eS
Thrust

ee

ak
nd

sL
Shear zone with dip

Cu

r ri
Ha

SZ

SZ

Z
Strike-slip shear zone

tS
ve

o
ro
wa

Serpen
de
at

on
100 km

He
12G A-A F3-C DP

Bo

Su
Z

ns
rS

et
e
SZ
as

SZ
am

SZ
Fr

l SZ
D
an
og

wm

Diese
5a
Fr

Ne

5b Nights 1 and 2
3 5c Fraser Range 32°
10
Norseman 4 6 Southern
7
Du

Hills 11
nd

Balladonia Roadhouse 126°

8
as

lt Z
SZ

S
Fau at 9 Nanambinia
p s
H SZ
tu p a
ut ho on
dac is od
r B SZ t R
12 Je up es
GA am W
SZ

r
-A
F2 Co
n
go

-C
DP
Ta

SZ

Nights 3 & 4 Wharton 12GA-AF1-CDP

na

13
do

15 14
Ro

124°
Red Island SZ Esperance 12
st

Condingup 34°
Ea

Heywood–Cheyne SZ 122°
RQ63 30/11/17

Figure 5. Pre-Mesozoic interpreted bedrock geology of the central and east Albany–Fraser Orogen showing geology,
structure and excursion route and stops. The geology of the Yilgarn Craton is shaded and no legend is shown
for it. Modified from Spaggiari, 2016.

The north-northwesterly trending Archean fabrics are defined in aeromagnetic imagery, particularly as fold
progressively overprinted by west-southwesterly dextral interference patterns, due to the presence of magnetite in
shear zones and oblique thrusts with dextral component the metamorphic fabrics (see Stop 15).
suggesting transpressional deformation during northwest-
oriented compression (Beeson et al., 1988). North- I n t h e e a s t A l b a ny – F r a s e r O r o g e n , A r c h e a n
northwest verging overturned folds and sheath folds are metamonzogranite and granite gneiss assigned to the
also recorded in the thrust zones (Beeson et al., 1988). Northern Foreland are exposed along a southeast-trending
The Archean dolerite dykes are also progressively more transect, commencing approximately 30 km east of
intensely deformed and metamorphosed away from the Norseman (Fig. 5). These rocks mostly preserve variably
craton margin. Where least deformed and metamorphosed, developed northwest-striking foliations and gneissic
the dykes preserve magmatic textures. With increasing layering that may represent preserved Archean structures.
deformation intensity to the south, the dykes contain pinch Foliations are weakly developed at the microscale, and
and swell structures and asymmetric boudins synchronous quartz, K-feldspar, microcline and plagioclase have
with the development of foliation boudinage associated highly lobate grain boundaries suggesting grain boundary
with secondary shear band formation in a compositionally migration recrystallization. These textures, and chessboard
layered gneissic foliation (Beeson et al., 1988). The extinction patterns in quartz, suggest that the development
Munglinup Gneiss has been affected by at least three of northwest-trending structures was associated with
phases of folding, and is locally sheared and boudinaged temperatures exceeding 500–550°C. Peak metamorphic
(Spaggiari et al., 2009). Megascale structures are well- conditions in some granite gneisses are constrained as

8
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

Carboniferous–Permian Paterson Formation Canning Basin

Cambrian Table Hill Volcanics Officer Basin
1300–1000 Ma Salt Creek Gabbro
Maralinga Event (1220–1120 Ma)
Moodini Supersuite Granitic and gabbroic rocks
(1200–1120 Ma) Dominantly gabbroic rocks
Albany–Fraser Orogeny Stage II (1225–1140 Ma)
Esperance Supersuite Granitic rock
(1198–1140 Ma) Booanya Suite; Granitic rock

1314–1175 Ma Mount Ragged Formation Ragged Basin

Albany–Fraser Orogen
Albany–Fraser Orogeny Stage I (1330–1260 Ma)
Recherche Supersuite
Mesoproterozoic

(1330–1276) Granitic gneiss and metagranite

Kepa Kurl Booya Province

1310–1270 Ma Fraser Range Metamorphics
Metagabbroic rock
Fraser Zone
Interlayered metagabbro and metagranite
1332–1304 Ma Snowys Dam Formation

1483–1297 Ma Gwynne Creek Gneiss Arid Basin

1415–1313 Ma Malcolm Metamorphics
Madura Province events (2000–1330 Ma)
Haig Cave Supersuite
(1415–1389 Ma) Metagabbro with trondhjemitic plagiogranite

Madura Province
1600–1100 Ma Metagranitic unit

1600–1100 Ma Metamorphosed igneous and sedimentary unit

1600–1100 Ma Sleeper Camp Formation

1950–1389 Ma Pinto Basalt

Biranup Orogeny (1710–1650 Ma)
Zanthus Event (1680–1675 Ma)
2800–1600 Ma Metagranitic unit Biranup Zone
2800–1600 Ma Metagranitic unit Tropicana Zone
Metagranite, metagabbro and
metasedimentary rocks
Nornalup Zone
Metasedimentary unit
Kepa Kurl Booya Province
1671–1660 Ma Eddy Suite Biranup Zone
Paleoproterozoic

1617–1600 Ma Fly Dam Formation

Barren Basin
1651–1600 Ma Woodline Formation
1694–1625 Ma Metagranitic unit Albany–Fraser Orogen
Ngadju Event (1780–1760 Ma)
Salmon Gums Event (1815–1800 Ma)
1806–1600 Ma Metagranitic unit
Biranup Zone
1810–1625 Ma Metagranitic unit

1815–1790 Ma Black Dragon Gneiss

2684–2630 Ma Metagranitic unit

2718–1140 Ma Munglinup Gneiss

Neoarchean

Northern Foreland
2800–1140 Ma Metagranitic unit
Booya Province

Tropicana Event (2520–2505 Ma)

Kepa Kurl

2800–2500 Ma Tropicana Gneiss

Tropicana Zone
2795–2500 Ma Hercules Gneiss

RQ67 07/12/17

Figure 5. continued

9
 YILGARN CRATON ALBANY – FRASER OROGEN MADURA PROVINCE
NORTHERN FORELAND BIRANUP ZONE FRASER ZONE NORNALUP ZONE

Cundeelee SZ Frog Dam SZ Fraser SZ Eucla and Bight Basins Sedimentary gneiss Eucla and Bight Basins
SZ
Eas Die
o W t sel
ero Wo es Rod SZ
ond o t ona
Oa Bo F dc
kD rase r SZ utt
ers
Basement Ro
d SZ
am Harris Lake SZ inclusions on
SZ SZ a
20 Frog SZ
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Dam SZ
Udarra Seismic Province Biranup Zone

Depth (km)
Lower crustal
non-reflective zone Gunnadorrah Seismic Province
40

Upper mantle
20 km
12GA-AF3
60

YILGARN ALBANY– FRASER OROGEN

CRATON NORTHERN FORELAND BIRANUP ZONE NORNALUP ZONE
Munglinup Gneiss
Lauriana SZ Red Island SZ Parmango Shear Zone Tagon SZ

Jer
d

10
acu
ttup Young
Fault Ridley Cor
River He
SZ
amu
p yw
oo
SZ d-
SZ Ch
eyn
Red e
Islan SZ
20 d
SZ Doombup SZ
Yarraquin Seismic Yarraquin Seismic Province
Province
Lower crustal Gunnadorrah Seismic Province
non-reflective zone

Depth (km)
40

Upper mantle
Join line

20 km
12GA-AF2 12GA-AF1
60
CS262 10.04.17

Form line Geological boundary Moho SZ Shear zone

Fault or shear zone Lower crustal nonreflective zone

Figure 6. Interpreted deep crustal seismic reflection lines 12GA-AF3, 12GA-AF2 and 12GA-AF1 after Spaggiari et al. (2014c). Note the join between 12GA-AF2 and 12GA-AF1, which is
situated at a bend on the seismic profile (Fig. 5) resulting in distorted geometries of the shear zones. The red dashed line shows the estimated Moho depth from calculations
from passive seismic data, which closely matches that interpreted from the seismic reflection data (Sippl et al., 2017a).
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
amphibolite facies or greater by the presence of anhedral
and embayed garnet, that is locally replaced along
fractures by aggregates of biotite and muscovite (Fig. 7a).
The best estimate of peak metamorphic conditions in this
region of the Northern Foreland is amphibolite facies, for
both deformed and undeformed mafic rocks. A deformed
mafic amphibolite preserves an east-striking foliation
composed of hornblende, quartz and plagioclase, that is
interpreted as folded about a regional-scale, northwest-
trending fold. While hornblende is strongly aligned within
the foliation, abundant zoisite displays diverse orientations
relative to the foliation suggesting that it grew either late,
during, or after foliation development (Fig.  7b). Less
deformed mafic amphibolites preserve primary igneous
textures, with large relict plagioclase phenocrysts set
in a fine-grained interlocking matrix of hornblende,
quartz and finer plagioclase. Zoisite aggregates locally
pseudomorphose relict plagioclase phenocrysts (Fig. 7c),
and other pseudomorphs with euhedral crystal faces
(Fig. 7d) may replace other phases such as clinopyroxene.
Metagranites near the boundary of the Yilgarn Craton
experienced brittle-ductile deformation associated with
northeast-striking foliations. Feldspar porphyroclasts
display strong brittle fracturing (Fig. 7e). Plagioclase
displays kinking of both primary lamellar and deformation
twinning and some K-feldspar displays flame perthite
textures. Quartz deformed by crystal-plastic processes
and large grains display patchy undulose extinctions that
are texturally crosscut by localized zones of subgrains
and new grains (Fig. 7f). Deformation microstructures,
recrystallized grain sizes and sericite–chlorite–epidote–
zoisite foliation-forming assemblages suggest that at least
the later stages of northeast-striking deformation along the
northwestern margin of the Northern Foreland in the east
Albany–Fraser Orogen likely occurred during greenschist
to lower amphibolite facies metamorphic conditions. This
lower-temperature history may relate to deformation along
the proximate Jerdacuttup Fault and likely post-dates the
higher temperature, northwest-trending regional-scale
structures in this area of the Northern Foreland.
Geochronology of the Northern
Foreland
Geochronological data from granite gneiss of the Northern
Foreland has shown it was derived from Neoarchean
protoliths, with magmatism ranging between c. 2720 and
2620 Ma (Fig. 8a; Nelson et al., 1995; Spaggiari et al.,
2009; Kirkland et al., 2014a). These crystallization ages
are comparable to the typical ages of granite magmatism
in the Yilgarn Craton (Fig. 9; Cassidy et al., 2006)
and thereby support the interpretation that the granitic
precursors to the Munglinup Gneiss were part of the
Yilgarn Craton. Hf isotopic signatures in zircons from
granitic rocks of the Northern Foreland are similar to
those from the Yilgarn Craton, however, it is not possible
to assign which terrane or domain they belong to (Fig. 8b;
Kirkland et al., 2011a, 2014a).
11
Available geochronology data suggest that only minor
occurrences of Proterozoic igneous rocks intruded the
Neoarchean granitic rocks of the Munglinup Gneiss.
An interpreted crystallization age of 1667  ±  8  Ma was
obtained from granite gneiss from dillcore SGD005
(GSWA 192508, Kirkland et al., 2014c). A biotite
granodiorite gneiss from near Bald Rock on the
Lort River gave an igneous crystallization date of
1299 ± 14 Ma (GSWA 83690, Nelson, 1995d). This date
corresponds with Stage I of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny
(1330– 1260  Ma; Clark et al., 2000; Spaggiari et al.,
2014a), and is the only evidence of magmatism associated
with the 1330–1280 Ma Recherche Supersuite identified
within the Northern Foreland. It is also, together with an
interpreted metamorphic age of c. 1291 Ma (SGD005;
GSWA 192508, Kirkland et al., 2014c), the only available
data indicating that event’s effect on the Munglinup
Gneiss. At this locality, the orthogneiss is well-lineated,
and contains numerous millimetre- to centimetre-scale
mafic layers, some of which are probably deformed and
metamorphosed mafic dykes (Spaggiari et al., 2009). Both
the mafic layers and orthogneisses contain folded felsic
veins. Similar mafic horizons can be found throughout
the Munglinup Gneiss and may represent deformed
remnants of the Gnowangerup–Fraser Dyke Suite, which
intruded at c. 1210 Ma. One metagabbro sample collected
9 km west of Munglinup gave an interpreted igneous
crystallization date of 1193 ± 11 Ma, synchronous with
Stage II metamorphism in the Northern Foreland (GSWA
192956, Lu et al., 2015).
Kepa Kurl Booya Province
In Myers’ (1990) original work, the Albany–Fraser
Orogen was divided into two parts: an inboard, high-
grade component named the Biranup Complex, and an
outboard, less intensely deformed component named the
Nornalup Complex. In this early definition, the Biranup
Complex contained the metagabbroic rocks of the
Fraser Complex. The c. 1300 Ma Fraser Complex was
subsequently removed from the Biranup Complex, and
the latter was subdivided into three gneissic units called
the Munglinup, Dalyup, and Coramup Gneiss (Myers,
1995b). In light of new mapping, geochronological data
and geophysical interpretations, these subdivisions were
mostly abandoned, and the orogen was divided into the
Northern Foreland and the Kepa Kurl Booya Province
(Spaggiari et al., 2009).
The Kepa Kurl Booya Province makes up the bulk of the
Albany–Fraser Orogen and is defined as its crystalline
basement (Spaggiari et al., 2009). It includes four
geographical and structural zones — the Tropicana,
Biranup, Fraser and Nornalup Zones — that contain rocks
with variable protoliths ages and geological histories that
are interpreted to reflect moderate to intense modification
of pre-existing Archean Craton crust (Spaggiari et al.,
2011, 2014a; Kirkland et al., 2011a; Smithies et al.,
2013b, 2015b; Spaggiari and Tyler, 2014; Occhipinti et al.,
2017a).
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

Zo

Gt Hb

Bi+Mu
Q
Bi

1 mm 1 mm

c) d)

Hb
Ti

Pl
Zo Zo Zo

Hb
Ti

1 mm 200 μm

e) f)
Q

Mi Ep

Ser
200 μm 200 μm
MAM13 12.10.17

Figure 7. Thin section photomicrographs of key metamorphic assemblages and microstructures from a transect across
the Northern Foreland: a) Garnet in metamonzogranite partly replaced by biotite and muscovite; b) foliated mafic
amphibolite in which hornblende is strongly aligned with the foliation and zoisite is more randomly oriented;
c) largely undeformed mafic amphibolite with randomly oriented matrix and zoisite aggregate pseudomorphing
a previous phase; d) aggregates of zoisite pseudomorphosing relict plagioclase phenocryst in same rock as c);
e) brittle fracturing of feldspar in strongly deformed metamonzogranite near the Jerdacuttup Fault; f) crystal-plastic
deformation in large quartz grain from the same sample as e), with patchy extinction crosscut by narrow zones of
newly recrystallized grains. Abbreviations: Gt = garnet; Bi = biotite; Mu = muscovite; Zo = zoisite; Hb = hornblende;
Pl = plagioclase; Q = quartz; Ti = titanite; Mi = microcline; Ep = epidote; Ser = sericite. Images a-c plane-polarized
light; images d-f cross-polarized light.

12
 GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

Northern Foreland correlated with the adjacent Yamarna Terrane. It may

a) 7
represent a previously unknown, exhumed portion of
n = 16
Yilgarn Craton crust emplaced an unknown distance into
6
its current position above the Yamarna Terrane via the c.
2500 Ma Plumridge Detachment during the Tropicana
5
Event (Fig. 9; Occhipinti et al., 2014, 2017a). It is for this
reason, and because of a shared geological history with
Number

4
the Albany–Fraser Orogen following this event, that it is
defined as part of the Kepa Kurl Booya Province, but not
3
included in the Northern Foreland (Occhipinti et al., 2014;
Spaggiari et al., 2014a; Kirkland et al., 2014a, 2015c).
2
The Tropicana Zone comprises amphibolite- to granulite-
1 facies Archean basement rocks of the Tropicana Gneiss
and Hercules Gneiss, locally overlain by greenschist- to
0 amphibolite facies rocks of the Lindsay Hill Formation
2560 2600 2640 2680 2720 2760 2800
Age (Ma) of the Barren Basin, and intruded by Paleoproterozoic
b) 15 granitic rocks related to the adjacent Biranup Zone
(Figs  2,  4; Occhipinti et al., 2014, 2017b; Spaggiari et
al., 2014a; Kirkland et al., 2015c). The Tropicana Gneiss
10
consists of amphibolite- to granulite-facies, interlayered
granitic and mafic gneiss, and minor metachert and
5 metamorphosed iron-formation. The Hercules Gneiss is
dominated by metagranites enriched in Mg- and large-
ion lithophile elements classed as sanukitoids, typically
e Hf

0
-5
-10
-15
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 2800 3000
Age (Ma)
CS192 08.08.14
Figure 8. a) Probability density diagram and histograms of
mean U–Pb zircon magmatic crystallization ages
from granitic rocks of the Northern Foreland. The
letter n refers to the numbers of dated samples;
b) εHf evolution plot from available samples with
igneous zircons from the same dataset (n = 6;
coloured); other data from the Albany–Fraser
Orogen in light grey; data from the Yilgarn Craton in
dark grey (Wyche et al., 2012). A reference evolution
line corresponding to a 176Lu/177Lu ratio of 0.015 is
shown in black. After Spaggiari et al. (2014b).
Tropicana Zone
The Tropicana Zone lies within the poorly-exposed
northeastern segment of the Albany–Fraser Orogen. It is
largely covered by sand-dominated regolith, and in part
by Carboniferous-Permian glacigene sedimentary rocks
of the Paterson Formation of the Canning Basin (Fig. 5).
Hence, the lithological and structural architecture of the
zone is based largely on the interpretation of geophysical
data, including high-resolution magnetic and gravity
data, deep-crustal seismic reflection data, linked to the
limited outcrops, drillcores, and correlations with other
regions within the orogen (Spaggiari et al., 2011, 2014a;
Occhipinti et al., 2014; Kirkland et al., 2015c; Occhipinti
et al., 2017b). The Tropicana Zone contains Archean rocks
that have an affinity to the Yilgarn Craton, although their
geological evolution is distinct, and cannot be readily
interpreted to derived from metasomatized mantle above
a subducting slab (Martin et al., 2005). This suggests that
the Tropicana Zone developed proximal to an ancient arc
at an active plate boundary.
The overlying metasedimentary rocks of the Lindsay Hill
Formation (Barren Basin) have a maximum depositional
age of 1752 ± 19 Ma (Fig. 9; Spaggiari et al., 2014b).
Volcanosedimentary and intrusive rocks of the c. 1760 Ma
Voodoo Child Formation include dacite, leucogabbro, and
mafic–ultramafic rocks, and are interpreted to have formed
in a small pull-apart basin (Less, 2013). Paleoproterozoic
intrusive rocks in the Tropicana Zone include the
c.  1763  Ma McKay Creek Metasyenogranite and the
c. 1708 Ma Bobbie Point Metasyenogranite.
The Tropicana Zone is bound by north-northeasterly
trending shear zones interpreted to have developed
in a foreland fold and thrust system, consistent with
the interpretation of seismic line 12GA-T1 (Fig. 10;
Occhipinti et al., 2014, 2017a; Blenkinsop and Doyle,
2014). The deep seismic reflection data show that the
Tropicana Zone lies above a gently southeast-dipping
structure — the Plumridge Detachment — that separates
the Tropicana Zone from underlying Yamarna Terrane
(Occhipinti et al., 2014, 2017a). The internal structure
of the Tropicana Zone is characterized by the craton-
vergent thrust system, interpreted as an imbricate fan
(Tyler et al., 2015; Occhipinti et al., 2017a). This thrust
system transported upper amphibolite to granulite facies
rocks of the Tropicana Zone northwestwards over what
is interpreted in seismic line 12GA-T1 as typical, low-
reflectivity Yilgarn Craton granite–greenstone upper
crust (Blenkinsop and Doyle, 2014; Korsch et al., 2014;
Occhipinti et al., 2017a). Thrusting along the Plumridge
Detachment likely occurred prior to the c. 1780–1760 Ma
Ngadju Event, because that event is shared by granites of
similar age in both the Tropicana Zone and the adjacent
Biranup Zone, some of which intrude the Hercules Gneiss
(Fig. 9; Kirkland et al., 2015b,c).

13
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Age Yilgarn Albany–Fraser Orogen Madura Province

(Ma) Craton
Northern Kepa Kurl Booya Province
Foreland
Tropicana Zone Biranup Zone Fraser Zone Nornalup Zone Mundrabilla
1100 Shear Zone

Albany–Fraser Orogeny Esperance Moodini Supersuite

ES ?
STAGE II Supersuite
1200 Gnowangerup-Fraser Dyke Suite
SG
?
RB Rodona
STAGE I RS RS Nova
1300 RS RS Shear Zone
arc accretion
SDF
1400 HCS
MM
GCG Arid Basin (Loongana Arc)

1500

Inferred sedimentation and

1600 FD oceanic crust formation (OCT)
WF PC
Trilogy Biranup BR
Barren ? Zanthus Event Orogeny
1700 MBG LH CG
Basin
Voodoo Ngadju Event
Child Salmon Gums
1800 SR
Event

1900 Oldest oceanic crust

Time gap
2500 Tropicana
Plumridge Detachment Event

2600
Main gold ? Atlantis
events Yilgarn Event
granites and Yilgarn Yilgarn granites Yilgarn
2700 granites granite
Munglinup heritage
Gneiss
protoliths
2800
Felsic and mafic magmatism Orogenic or tectonic event Main mineralisation events
Mafic magmatism Sedimentation +/- volcanism
CS306 10/10/17

Figure 9. Time-space diagram showing tectonothermal events, sedimentation and main mineralisation events, organized from
approximately west to east (BR – Big Red paragneiss, CG – Coramup Gneiss, ES – esperance supersuite, LH – lindsay
Hill Formation, FD – Fly Dam Formation, GCG – Gwynne Creek Gneiss, MBG – Mount Barren Group, MM – Malcolm
Metamorphics, OCT – ocean-continent transition, PC – Ponton Creek paragneiss, RB – Ragged Basin, RS – Recherche
Supersuite, SDF – Snowys Dam Formation, SG – Salisbury Gneiss, SR – Stirling Range Formation, WF – Woodline
Formation. After Spaggiari et al. (2017b).

14
 GUNBARREL BASIN KEPA KURL BOOYA PROVINCE
TROPICANA ZONE BIRANUP ZONE
ìxmgn-mogBR
Gunbarrel Fault ìbt-mgr Pheonix SZ ìbd-xmgg-mgi Chimera SZ Sydney Simpson SZ ìxmgn-mdnBR
0
Pip Ru Tumb
lew Blue Robin
ðtc-xmgn-mon
elin sty SZ PHANEROZOIC
e eed
SZ
SZ Na Ang
il S
Z e l Gunbarrel Basin
Eye Th
GSWA Record 2017/14

s S orny
Plumridge Z De PROTEROZOIC
vil
SZ
Salt Creek Gabbro
Yamarna Terrane Detach
ment Biranup Zone
10
ìxmgn- Granitic and metasedimentary
mdnBR gneisses dominant
ìbd-xmgg- Black Dragon Gneiss:
mgi Metagranodiorite and metadiorite
ARCHEAN– PROTEROZOIC
Tropicana Zone
ìbt-mgr Bobbie Point Metasyenogranite
20
Babo ðtc-
ol Se xmgn-mon Tropicana Gneiss
ismic
Prov
ince Tropicana Zone-High density unit

Yilgarn Craton

15
Depth (km)
Yamarna Terrane
30

Babool Seismic Province

Form line
c e Fault or shear zone
ovin
ismic Pr
e Geological boundary
40 ah S Upper mantle
dorr Base regolith/Cenozoic
G unna
Mafic/ultramafic
Granite
Base of upper crust
Moho
10 km
12GA-T1
50
CS202a 23/01/15

Figure 10. Geological interpretation of deep crustal seismic reflection section 12GA-T1. After Occhipinti et al. (2014).
SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
Quentin de Gromard et al.
Prior to this thrust event the Tropicana Zone was affected
by the 2722–2554 Ma Atlantis Event, during which
prolonged amphibolite to granulite-facies metamorphic
conditions prevailed. This is recorded by a spread of
U–Pb dates ranging from 2718 to 2554 Ma obtained
from 126 analyses of metamorphic zircons from the
c. 2826–2644 Ma Hercules Gneiss (Fig. 11; Kirkland
et al., 2015b, c). The median date of 2634 ± 6 Ma for all
metamorphic zircon analyses may represent the time of
peak metamorphic conditions (Kirkland et al., 2015c).
The Atlantis Event is also the time of emplacement of
sanukitoid magmas, interpreted as a fertile source for
gold mineralization in the Tropicana Zone, and for which
the best crystallization age estimate is 2692 ± 16 Ma.
However, the determination of a precise age for this
magmatism is hampered by the intense granulite-facies
overprinting (Kirkland et al., 2015c). The Tropicana Zone
was subsequently affected by the 2520– 2505 Tropicana
Event (Tyler et al., 2015). This event is interpreted as the
major period of thrust movement along the Plumridge
Detachment, leading to fluid-induced, gold mineralization
at greenschist facies conditions (Occhipinti et al., 2017a).
The timing is constrained by U–Pb rutile dated at 2521
± Ma, Ar–Ar biotite at 2515 ± 14 Ma, and Re–Os pyrite
at 2505 ± 50 Ma (Doyle et al., 2015). The closure
temperatures of the U–Pb system in rutile of 450 ± 50°C
and of the Ar–Ar system in biotite of 300 ± 50°C, indicate
that fluids produced during this event were generated
during cooling and retrogression of the Tropicana
2500
peak granulite-facies
zircon growth
2600
age (Ma)
207Pb*/206Pb*
2700
2800
2900
192523 192524 192530
cores (Group I)
CS219
Figure 11. Dates for zircon cores and rims in Hercules Gneiss samples, illustrating the prolonged granulite-
facies zircon growth event. The best age estimate for the sanukitoid protolith is estimated to
be 2692 ± 16 Ma, based on GSWA 192523. After Kirkland et al. (2015c).
Zone from amphibolite to greenschist facies, most
probably resulting from exhumation along the Plumridge
Detachment. The dating of pyrite in the Hercules
Gneiss, interpreted as coeval with one generation of gold
mineralization, yielded a Re–Os date of c.  2100  Ma,
suggesting a younger gold mineralization event affected
the Tropicana Zone (Kirkland et al., 2015b).
Biranup Zone
The Biranup Zone is a belt of predominantly mid-crustal
rocks that extends along the whole strike-length of the
orogen (Figs 2, 4 and 5; Myers, 1990; Spaggiari et al.,
2009; Spaggiari et al., 2011). The southward curvature
of the western end of the Biranup Zone against the north-
trending Darling Fault, or a set of sub-parallel shear zones
such as the Donnybrook–Nannup Shear Zone, suggests
major sinistral displacement along the western margin
of the Yilgarn Craton during the assembly of Gondwana
(Harrison et al., 1987). Along the western and central parts
of the orogen, the Biranup Zone is in fault contact with the
Northern Foreland and the Nornalup Zone; major fault
bounding structures between the Biranup and Nornalup
Zones in the western part include the Northcliffe Fault
and the Heywood-Cheyne Shear Zone (Figs 4, 5). In the
central part, the Biranup Zone is bound by the Red Island
Shear Zone and the Coramup Shear Zone (Figs 4, 5).
granulite-facies zircons
magmatic cores
192531 192532 192549 192552
Sample ID
cores (Group P) rims (Group M)
28.05.15
16
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

In the eastern part of the orogen, the Frog Dam Shear a) Biranup Zone n = 50
Zone separates the Biranup Zone from the Northern
Foreland, and the Fraser Shear Zone separates the 20

Biranup Zone from the Fraser Zone. The Fraser Zone

is interleaved between the Nornalup and Biranup Zones 15
(Figs 2, 4 and 5). To the northeast, the Biranup Zone is

Number
separated from rocks of the Fraser Range Metamorphics
by the Harris Lake Shear Zone (Figs 4, 5). Interpretation 10
of the deep seismic reflection profile 12GA-AF3 portrays
the Biranup Zone as a moderately southeast-dipping
shear zone bound entity that soles onto the Gunnadorrah 5
Seismic Province at lower crustal level (Fig. 6; Spaggiari
and Occhipinti, 2015). At depth, the western bounding
structure, the Frog Dam Shear Zone, is interpreted 0
b) Nornalup Zone n=2
to link to the Oak Dam Shear Zone, along which the
Biranup Zone was thrust over inferred Yilgarn Craton
rocks of the Udarra Seismic Province (Fig. 5; Spaggiari
et al., 2014c). To the east, the Fraser Shear Zone links
with the Harris Lake Shear Zone, placing the Nornalup

Number
Zone above the Biranup Zone at depth (Fig. 5). To the 1
southwest, along seismic profile 12GA-AF2, the Biranup
and Nornalup Zones are separted by the Coramup Shear
Zone, interpreted as part of a broad, southeast-dipping
shear zone system (Fig. 5; Spaggiari et al., 2014c, 2016b).
Folding and internal variations are not well-imaged
in seismic profile12GA-AF3, whereas regional-scale
folding and shear zone crosscutting relationships appear 0
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
significant along seismic profile 12GA-AF2 (Spaggiari Age (Ma)
and Occhipinti, 2015). 15
c) Biranup and Nornalup Zone
The Biranup Zone is largely composed of intensely 10
deformed Paleoproterozoic orthogneiss with interpreted
protolith crystallization ages ranging between 1815 and
5
1625 Ma, and lesser amounts of metagabbroic and hybrid
rocks, and paragneiss (Figs 9, 12a; Nelson et al., 1995;
e Hf

Spaggiari et al., 2011; Kirkland et al., 2014a). The oldest 0

dated intrusive rocks in the Biranup Zone are granite
gneiss collected from diamond drillcore SGD001, from -5
the Salmon Gums Prospect, dated at 1806 ± 6 Ma, (GSWA
192502, Kirkland et al., 2014b), and c. 1815 Ma granite
-10
of the Black Dragon Gneiss (Doyle et al., 2015). Most
granites of the eastern Biranup Zone fall within the age
range of c. 1690 Ma to 1670 Ma (Fig. 12a). The youngest -15
1000 1400 1800 2200 2600 3000
Biranup Zone granite is dated at 1627  ± 4 Ma (GSWA Age (Ma)
194736, Kirkland et al., 2010). Other metagranitic rocks CS193 08.08.14
of both the central and eastern Biranup Zone include
metamonzogranite, metagranodiorite, and rare tonalitic Figure 12. Probability density diagram and histograms of
gneiss, with most ages falling in the range of c. 1690 mean U–Pb zircon magmatic crystallization ages
to 1660 Ma (Figs 9, 12; Kirkland et al., 2011a, 2014a; (in orange) and metamorphic ages (in blue) from:
Smithies et al., 2015b). Most zircon overgrowths in the a) the Biranup Zone; b) the eastern Nornalup
Biranup Zone granite gneisses indicate that high-grade Zone. The letter n refers to the number of dated
samples; c) εHf evolution plot from available
metamorphism occurred during Stage II of the Albany–
samples with igneous zircons from the same
Fraser Orogeny, from c. 1225 to 1150 Ma (Fig. 12a). dataset (n = 29; coloured); other data from the
Albany–Fraser Orogen in light grey; data from the
The lack of evidence for a Paleoproterozoic magmatic Yilgarn Craton in dark grey (Wyche et al., 2012).
or tectonothermal event in the Yilgarn Craton led A reference evolution line corresponding to a
to the suggestion that the Biranup Zone was an 176
Lu/177Lu ratio of 0.015 is shown in black. After
exotic terrane accreted to the margin of the Yilgarn Spaggiari et al. (2014b).
Craton during Stage I of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny
(Fig. 9; Nelson et al., 1995; Spaggiari et al., 2009).

17
Quentin de Gromard et al.
Isolated remnants of Archean granite with Yilgarn Craton
affinity occur within the Biranup Zone and this, combined
with whole-rock geochemistry and Lu–Hf data from
the Paleoproterozoic intrusive rocks, indicates that the
Biranup Zone formed by the addition of juvenile mantle
material into Archean Yilgarn crust, most likely during
crustal-thinning events (Kirkland et al., 2011a; Smithies
et al., 2015b).
In the west Albany–Fraser Orogen, the Biranup Zone is
dominated by an east-northeasterly striking fabric that is
well-defined in aeromagnetic data (Spaggiari et al., 2009).
In outcrop in the Pallinup River region, a foliation in this
orientation is defined by elongate clots of hornblende- and
orthopyroxene-rich mineral aggregates, with a pervasive,
moderately east-plunging, mineral-elongation lineation
close to the Northern Foreland (Beeson et al., 1988).
Regionally, folds are dominantly overturned, north-
northwesterly verging, and contain boudins of mafic layers
in the fold limbs (Beeson et al., 1988; Barquero-Molina,
2010). In the Pallinup River region, fold hinges vary from
gently east-northeasterly or west-northwesterly plunging
to steeply plunging, with curved fold axes (Beeson
et  al., 1988). Late, non-coaxial deformation produced
three sets of ductile shear zones; the earlier set consists
of conjugate west-northwesterly striking sinistral and
west-southwesterly striking dextral shear zones. A set of
conjugate, north-striking sinistral and west-northwesterly
striking dextral shear zones overprint the dominant
east-northeasterly trending fabrics. The youngest set of
shear zones are easterly striking sinistral shear zones that
crosscut all pre-existing structures (Beeson et al., 1988).
In the Bremer Bay area, three phases of bi-directional
extension are recorded, which alternate with folding
events during interpreted northwest-southeast compression
(Barquero-Molina, 2010). Metamorphism associated with
the later stages of this event is dated between c. 1187 and
1154 Ma (Spaggiari et al., 2009).
In the central and eastern part of the east Albany–Fraser
Orogen, the structural grain of the Biranup Zone is
dominated by northwest trending gneissic layering
subparallel to the axial traces of folds and shear zones
(Spaggiari et al., 2011; Munro et al., 2017). The folds
are upright, isoclinal, gently northwest or southeast
plunging, and affect the gneissic layering and layer-
parallel leucosomes. Stretching lineations are subparallel
to fold axes and to the long axes of boudins within the
differentiated gneissic layering. Overprinting folds are
open, moderately to steeply northeast-plunging folds,
resulting in Type 3 fold interference patterns (Munro
et al., 2017). Partial melting occurred during these two
folding events resulting in leucosomes axial planar to
both fold generations (Munro et al., 2017). The triple
junction between the Biranup, Fraser and Nornalup Zones
is referred to as the ‘S-bend’ due to the geometry of the
area, particularly well imaged in aeromagnetic data (see
Day 2 of the field guide; Spaggiari et al., 2011; Munro et
al., 2017). Here, the structural grain of the Biranup Zone
is defined by regional-scale, northeast-trending fold axial
traces. At least three phases of folding can be recognized
in this area, resulting in both Type 2 and Type  3
fold interference patterns. The regional-scale S-fold
18
geometry of the S-bend likely results from overprinting
of multiple structures at high-angle, possibly combined
with the exhumation of the Fraser Zone by extrusion to
the southwest along the Newman and Fraser Shear Zones
(Spaggiari et al., 2011; Munro et al., 2017).
Microstructural analysis
Biranup Zone orthogneisses to the west of the Fraser
Zone, bound by the Fraser and Frog Dam Shear Zones
(Fig. 5), are characterized by metamorphic assemblages
containing garnet, zoisite, quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar,
biotite, titanite and locally epidote and hornblende.
Garnet and zoisite are typically abundant, with garnet
forming anhedral to subhedral, commonly embayed,
porphyroblasts (Fig. 13a,b). Zoisite has a range of
anhedral to euhedral forms, with many grains displaying
concentric zonations in birefringence suggesting
transitions between zoisite and clinozoisite (Fig. 13c).
Many zoisite grains have nucleated around core inclusions,
likely allanite, about which they display radial fracturing.
These textures suggest that the hosted inclusion underwent
a subsequent volume change reaction (Fig. 13c). Garnet
and zoisite display a range of relative timing relationships
with respect to both each other and the dominant
penetrative north to northeasterly trending foliation.
Some garnets host inclusions of quartz, titanite and
zoisite in their cores that are oblique or perpendicular to
the surrounding foliation (Fig. 13a), representing either
the preservation of an earlier foliation, or rotation of the
garnet relative to the surrounding matrix. Growth of these
texturally early garnet cores commenced either prior to, or
during the early stages of, development of the preserved
foliation. Some oblique core inclusion trails inflect into
rims that have overgrown the external matrix foliation
that wraps them (Fig. 13a). Some zoisite and titanite
grains form and overgrow foliations that wrap garnet
(Fig. 13b). Local areas of zoisite are strongly aligned with
the foliation, often containing a few foliation-parallel
inclusions (Fig. 13d,e), suggesting growth during foliation
development. Others more oblique to the foliation possibly
grew after the conclusion of deformation. Texturally late
garnet also hosts foliation-parallel inclusions and displays
no deflection of the surrounding foliation, suggesting post-
tectonic growth.
Microstructural relationships in orthogneisses from this
part of the Biranup Zone are therefore consistent with
garnet and zoisite growth spanning from at least early-
syn to post-development of the north to northeasterly
trending structural grain, with the cores of some garnets
possibly formed prior to this. These observations,
coupled with abundant leucocomes that are parallel
to the gneissic layering, are consistent with upper
amphibolite facies metamorphism. The coarse grain
sizes of quartz and feldspar, and typically highly lobate
grain boundaries suggestive of grain boundary migration,
suggest deformation during temperatures exceeding
500°C. Rocks proximate to the northeasterly trending
Frog Dam Shear Zone, such as the mafic amphibolite in
Figure 13f, preserve amphibolite facies peak metamorphic
assemblages that developed synchronously with a shear
zone-parallel foliation.
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)
Q
Gt

Zo
Gt
Bi
Pl
Bi

Gt
Edge
of slide 1 mm Q 500 µm

c) d)

Ti

Bi

Zo

100 µm 500 µm

e) f)
Pl

Gt
Hb Q

Gt
Zo
Zo

Bt
500 µm 500 µm
MAM12 17.10.17

Figure 13. Thin section photomicrographs of Biranup Zone rocks to the west of the Fraser Zone: a) garnet porphyroblast
with foliation-oblique inclusions in its core and foliation-parallel inclusions in its rim that wrap around the core;
b) garnet wrapped by the foliation with zoisite overgrowing a strain cap; c) concentrically zoned zoisite with radial
fracturing around a large inclusion, likely allanite; d) zoisite and titanite strongly aligned with the foliation; e) garnet
porphyroblast hosting foliation-parallel inclusions of quartz and displaying no deflection of the surrounding foliation
around its margins (top of image), and foliation-parallel zoisite (bottom); f) mafic amphibolite near the Frog Dam
Shear Zone containing a foliation of strongly aligned hornblende, zoisite, plagioclase and quartz. Abbreviations:
Gt = garnet; Bi = biotite; Zo = zoisite; Hb = hornblende; Pl = plagioclase; Q = quartz; Ti = titanite. Images a, b, c and
e are cross-polarized light; images d and f are plane-polarized light.

19
Quentin de Gromard et al.
Fraser Zone
The Fraser Zone is restricted to the east Albany–Fraser
Orogen, between the Biranup and Nornalup Zones
(Figs  2,  5). It has been the subject of a relatively large
number of studies compared to the surrounding tectonic
zones of the Albany–Fraser Orogen, starting with the
early work of Streich (1893), who was the first geologist
to visit the Fraser Complex. Maitland (1925) identified its
major components, and Wilson wrote numerous papers, a
summary of which is presented in Wilson (1969). Doepel
(1973) proposed the name Fraser Complex ‘[…] for a
20-mile wide block which is composed predominantly
of basic granulite […]’. The Fraser Complex was then
considered part of the Biranup Complex (Myers, 1985,
1990) before being excluded from it (Nelson et al., 1995;
Myers, 1995b; Spaggiari et al., 2009). It is currently
referred to as the Fraser Zone and considered a tectonic
subdivision of the Kepa Kurl Booya Province (Spaggiari
et al., 2009). Most of the northeastern part of the Fraser
Zone is obscured by thick regolith, and locally younger
rocks of the Carboniferous–Permian Paterson Formation
of the Canning Basin, and by Cenozoic limestones of
the Eucla Basin. However, geophysical and drillcore
data show that it is a northeasterly trending, fault-bound
zone approximately 425 km long and up to 50 km wide
(Figs 5, 14).
The Fraser Zone is dominated by high-grade metamorphic
rocks that have a strong, distinct geophysical signature in
both aeromagnetic and gravity data (Figs. 5 and 14; see
Stop 7). The strong gravity signal is interpreted to be due
to the voluminous mafic to ultramafic rocks that dominate
the lithologies of the Fraser Zone. In aeromagnetic data, the
Fraser Zone is mostly moderately magnetic and relatively
homogenous in its interior, while its northwestern margin
is characterized by relatively thin and linear, high- to low-
intensity, magnetic horizons, typically 200 m wide and 10s
of km long, with particular horizons apparently over 150
km long. Interpretation of seismic data and potential field
modelling suggest that the Fraser Zone forms a V-shape
in cross section, extending to about 12–15 km depth
(Brisbout et al., 2014; Spaggiari et al., 2014c; Brisbout,
2015). This interpretation is consistent with velocity data
derived from ambient seismic noise measurements from the
ALFREX array (Sippl et al., 2017b).
The Fraser Zone is dominated by voluminous sheets of
metagabbro and less-abundant metagranitic rocks, both
of which intruded sedimentary rocks of the Snowys
Dam Formation of the Arid Basin (Spaggiari et al.,
2014b, 2015). These rocks have been metamorphosed
to upper amphibolite to granulite facies, forming the
1334–1280  Ma Fraser Range Metamorphics (Spaggiari
et al., 2009, 2011; Clark et al., 2014). Intense folding and
shearing resulted in complex interlayering, observable
at all scales, that reflects both primary and secondary
processes (Fig. 15). Gabbros of the Fraser Zone can
be broadly subdivided into the ‘hybrid gabbros’ and
the ‘main gabbros’ (Smithies et al., 2013b; Maier
et  al., 2016). The ‘hybrid gabbros’ show evidence for
hybridization or interaction with felsic material and
typically include granitic layers, subhedral to ovoidal
K-feldspar phenocrysts and relatively high proportions of
20
quartz and K-feldspar, commonly developed as stringers
or blebs (Fig. 15a). The ‘main gabbros’ show no field
evidence of interaction with contemporaneous granites
and mainly occur in large sheets or cumulate bodies
and commonly preserve igneous textures, including
subophitic and ortho- to adcumulate textures. The Snowys
Dam Formation is a succession of upper amphibolite to
granulite facies, pelitic, semipelitic to calcic, locally iron-
and/or sulfide-rich metasedimentary rocks with abundant
layers and sills of gabbro (Fig. 15). These rocks have a
maximum depositional age of 1332 ± 21 Ma, and a major
component of their detrital zircon provenance indicates
derivation from the accreted Loongana Arc of the Madura
Province (Spaggiari et al., 2015).
Based on field and aeromagnetic data, Brisbout et al.
(2014) and Brisbout (2015) divided the southwestern
end of the Fraser Zone into six sub-domains, of magnetic
horizons of varying intensity, orientation and/or spacing
that can be correlated with lithological contrasts and
variations as well as varying structural styles and
orientations. Four of these sub-domains are dominated
by northeast-trending magnetic horizons that can be
correlated with northeast-trending, steeply dipping
gneissic to mylonitic foliations (Brisbout et al., 2014;
Brisbout, 2015). Much of the northwestern side of the
southern Fraser Zone (Sub-domains 1 and 2) is dominated
by tightly to isoclinally folded, strongly foliated to
mylonitic rocks, whereas the least deformed and thickest
example of metagabbroic rocks occur in the southeast
(Sub-domain 5), reflecting a significant difference in strain
up to the Newman Shear Zone, along the southeastern
boundary (Fig. 14).
The relative abundance of the different lithologies of the
Fraser Zone is interpreted to vary from sub-domain to sub-
domain. Subdomain 1 is largely dominated by paragneiss
of the Snowys Dam Formation with lesser metagabbro and
amphibolite; sub-domain 2 is dominated by the ‘hybrid
gabbros’ interlayered with granite sheets and with minor
metasedimentary rocks, sub-domain 3 is dominated by
the ‘main gabbros’ interlayered with sheets of the ‘hybrid
gabbros’ and sub-domain 5 and 6 are dominated by the
‘main gabbros’ (Fig. 14).
The northeast-trending structural grain of sub-domains
1, 2 and 3 is defined by the parallelism between layering
and layering-parallel foliations (Fig. 15a). Folds are tight
to isoclinal, and gently to steeply doubly plunging and
show evidence of refolding (Figs 14 and 15b–d). The more
competent mafic layers form centimetre- to metre-scale
boudins that generally indicate stretching subparallel to
the northeast-trending axial traces of the folds; however,
some mafic boudins have their long axis near orthogonal
to the northeastern trend of the Fraser Zone, suggesting
rotation or preservation of earlier trends (Fig.  15d).
In aeromagnetic data, the metagabbro-dominated
sub-domains 5 and 6 show broad folding of magnetic
horizons which reflects the folding of the magmatic
layering (Fig. 14). Sub-domain 6 is characterized by
a series of approximately north-trending magnetic
horizons, interpreted to reflect folded magmatic layering;
the northeast-trending structural grain that dominates
the Fraser Zone wraps around this structure (Fig. 14).
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

123° 00’ 123° 30’

Z
SZ

kS
2680 ± 4 Coonana

ee
Da

Cr
w
llo

to n
Ye

n
2656 ± 20 1668 ± 11

Po
1670 ± 7

SZ
ke
2670 ± 10 1677 ± 5

La
2624 ± 15

s
rri
1678 ± 7

Ha
1640 ± 12
1617 ± 26 1671 ± 6

SZ
er
as
Z

Fr
ll S
1651 ± 26 Hi
y 31° 30’
Sp

Z
oS
ero
SZ

nd
e

o
le

Bo
ee
nd

SZ

SZ
Cu

am
Da

1671 ± 5 D
og

ill

SZ
H
Fr

am
s
on

D
ns
m

ow
Sy

1298 ± 5 Br

1287 ± 14
1466 ± 17 1310 ± 7
1283 ± 7
5a 5b Fraser Range 32° 00’
3 5c
4 1674 ± 7
Nights 1312 ± 8 1288 ± 3
1&2
1670 ± 15 10 1763 ± 11
1299 ± 3
1299 ± 6 1297 ± 12
1368 ± 12 6 1305 ± 2
Southern
7 Hills
1332 ± 21 1301 ± 6
1359 ± 22
SZ
m ans Noondoonia
New
Balladonia Roadhouse
1297 ± 8
11

1299 ± 7
Balladonia
1135 ± 56
1809 ± 8
RQ77 20 km 17/10/17

Localities Major shear zone Strike-slip shear zone

1 Field trip stops Minor shear zone * * Oblique shear zone, reverse, dextral

Field trip route Shear zone with dip Antiform

U–Pb zircon geochronology * *
Reverse shear zone Synform
sample (date in Ma)
Thrust Fold axial trace

Figure 14. Reduced to the pole aeromagnetic data of the southwestern part of the Fraser Zone showing published
and preliminary GSWA geochronology, excursion route and stops. The main structures shown were
extracted from the 1: 250 000 pre-Mesozoic interpreted bedrock geology (Spaggiari, 2016).

21
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

NE SW

c)

NW SE SE NW

d)

SE NW
RQ76 11/10/17

Figure 15. Field photographs of rocks of the Fraser Zone; a) granitic layer containing sigmoidal K-feldspar porphyroclasts
in a metaggabbronorite; b) isoclinally folded psammitic gneiss showing the progressive intensification of limb
attenuation towards the top of the picture; c) interlayered garnet-rich metagabbro and psammitic gneiss, tightly
folded about northeast-trending upright folds with subhorizontal fold axes; Fraser Shear Zone; d) interlayered
gabbroic and psammitic gneiss forming a meter-scale boudin whose long axis lies near perpendicular to the main
northeast-trend of the fabric of the northwestern side of the Fraser Zone; note the Type 3 fold interference pattern
at the bottom right of the picture indicating that the dominant northeast-trending fabric of the Fraser Zone results
from multiple overprinting events.

22
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

This structure may be interpreted as a regional-scale Fraser Zone

boudin whose orientation might have been rotated from its a) n = 13
10
original northeast trend into its current north trend during
shearing (Munro et al., 2017). Alternatively, this north
trend may represent the preservation of an older generation 8
of structures that pre-date the northeast structural grain of
the Fraser Zone (Munro et al., 2017).

Number
6

The gneissic to mylonitic foliation of the Fraser Zone is

interpreted to have formed during peak metamorphism 4
(about 850 °C and 7–9 kbars), shortly after the intrusion
of the Fraser Zone gabbros and granites during Stage I of
2
the Albany–Fraser Orogeny (Clark et al., 2014; Kirkland et
al., 2014a). All isotopic results from intrusive rocks of the
Fraser Zone indicate a short time interval for both mafic 0
1100 1150 1200 1250 1300 1350 1400
and felsic igneous crystallization, predominantly between
Age (Ma)
1305 and 1290 Ma, and essentially coeval granulite facies 15
metamorphism (Fig. 16a; Fletcher et al., 1991; Clark et al., b)
1999, 2014; De Waele and Pisarevsky, 2008; Kirkland
10
et al., 2011a, 2016). The close temporal correspondence
between mafic to felsic magmatism and the age of
granulite facies metamorphism implies that magmatism 5
provided the thermal impetus for metamorphism (Clark
et al., 2014).
e Hf
0

Magmatic rocks of the Fraser Zone yield igneous

zircons that indicate εHf values of +9 to -4 (median εHf -5

= -0.08  ± 2.15 (1 standard deviation [1SD]; Fig. 16b).

The Hf-isotopic range of this material overlaps the more
radiogenic members of the Recherche Supersuite granites,
which are dominated by a radiogenic group that indicates
εHf values of 0 to -6 (median εHf = -3.49 ± 1.81 [1SD];
Fig. 16), although the Fraser Zone samples extend to
more depleted values, consistent with the large volume
of gabbroic rocks (Kirkland et al., 2014a). The isotopic
pattern of the Fraser Zone has been interpreted to reflect
mantle input into a Biranup Zone source, which in turn
reflects an Archean Yilgarn Craton heritage (Kirkland
et al., 2011a).
Microstructural analysis
Microstructural analysis of rocks of the Fraser Zone shows
that the less deformed metagabbros largely conserve
primary igneous textures (Fig. 17a) that are variably
overprinted by static metamorphic recrystallization. Some
display symplectites of spinel and pyroxene, and spinel-
bearing symplectites separate olivine from plagioclase
(Fig. 17b). Clinopyroxene, garnet, hornblende, plagioclase
and quartz assemblages in interlayered mafic and
sedimentary gneisses form northeast-striking S2 foliations
that are axial planar to F2 folds of the main S1 gneissic
layering (Fig. 17c), demonstrating that upper amphibolite
to granulite facies metamorphism was synchronous with
F2 folding.
Garnet-pyroxene assemblages are also axial planar
to north-northeasterly trending folds of layering in
sedimentary gneisses at Gnamma Hill (Fig. 17d). Several
garnet porphyroblasts in these rocks host inclusions of
-10
-15
1000 1400 1800 2200 2600 3000
Age (Ma)
CS195 08.08.14
Figure 16. a) Probability density diagram and histograms of
mean U–Pb zircon magmatic crystallization ages
(in orange) and metamorphic ages (in blue) from
the Fraser Zone. The letter n refers to the number of
dated samples; b) εHf evolution plot from available
samples with igneous zircons from the same dataset
(n = 8; coloured); other data from the Albany–Fraser
Orogen in light grey; data from the Yilgarn Craton in
dark grey (Wyche et al., 2012). A reference evolution
line corresponding to a 176Lu/177Hf ratio of 0.015 is
shown in black. After Spaggiari et al. (2014b).
quartz and sillimanite that are oblique or subperpendicular
to the surrounding foliation (Fig. 17e), possibly preserving
an older generation foliation. Phase equilibria modelling
of granulite facies assemblages in the sedimentary
gneisses at Gnamma Hill and Mount Malcolm by Clark
et al. (2014) suggested peak metamorphic temperatures
of approximately 850°C at minimum pressures of 7 kbar.
However, the recent identification of cordierite in some
of the Mount Malcolm gneisses (Fig. 17f) may signify
that prograde and peak metamorphism occurred at lower
pressures than previously considered.

23
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)
Ol

Pl Cpx
Sp + ? Pl
Sp + Px
Opx
Hb
Ol
Ol
Opx Ol
Opx
1 mm Pl 200 µm

c)
N
Cpx + Gt + Q
S2 + Pl + minor
Hb

Hb + Gt + Q
+ Pl + minor
Cpx
S1 gn
eissic
layeri Cpx + Gt + Q
ng + Pl + minor
Hb

Hb + Gt + Q
+ Pl + Cpx
4 mm

d) e)
folded layering

axial p Gt
lanar fo Si
Q liation

Q
Px
Gt
1 mm 1 mm
N

f) g)

Pl Ksp

Cd Q

Gt

Cd Sp

200 µm 1 mm
N

MAM10 17.10.17

Figure 17. Key metamorphic textures of the Fraser Zone: a) metagabbro largely preserving primary igneous textures with some
metamorphic recrystallization; b) intergrowths of spinel and pyroxene in olivine metagabbro, with spinel bearing
intergrowths separating olivine from plagioclase; c) plan view S2 axial planar foliation oblique to folded S1 gneissic
layering in a mafic layer from the hinge of an F2 fold; d) garnet and pyroxene bearing axial planar foliation in hinge of
north-northeasterly trending fold; e) northwest striking inclusion trails of quartz and sillimanite in garnet porphyroblast
that are subperpendicular to surrounding foliation; f) cordierite with pleochroic yellow halos around zircon or monazite
inclusions in gneiss from Mount Malcolm; g) well developed polygonal foam texture in statically recrystallized matrix
around garnet with asymmetric tails. Abbreviations: Hb = hornblende; Gt = garnet; Pl = plagioclase; Ol = olivine;
Q = quartz; Cd = cordierite; Sp = spinel; Si = sillimanite; Cpx = clinopyroxene; Opx = orthopyroxene. Images a, e and
g are cross-polarized light; images b, c d and f are plane-polarized light.

24
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

Strongly lobate grain boundaries in quartz and feldspar
in many rocks, suggesting grain boundary migration
recrystallization, and chessboard extinction patterns in
foliation-parallel quartz are consistent with northeast-
striking foliation development under temperatures
exceeding approximately 500–550°C. Some have
undergone strong static recrystallization following
deformation (Fig. 17g). High temperature deformation
histories preserved in several samples are overprinted by
lower temperature deformation microstructures. Other
rocks with northeast-trending foliations preserve only low
temperature deformation features such as strong undulose
and sweeping extinctions, deformation twinning, kinking
of primary and deformation twinning in plagioclase,
and textures suggesting dominantly bulging or subgrain
rotation recrystallization. This transition to lower-
temperature deformation may have occurred towards the
end of the development of the northeast-trending structures
that define the Fraser Zone, or may relate to younger
deformation.
Nornalup Zone
The Nornalup Zone, previously Nornalup complex, is
named after the Nornalup Inlet, just south of Walpole
29 km southwest of Balladonia Roadhouse, that yielded a
date of 1809 ± 8 Ma, interpreted as the age of magmatic
crystallization (Fig. 14; GSWA 194785; Kirkland et al.,
2014d). A granite gneiss from Newman Rock yielded an
interpreted magmatic crystallization age of 1763 ± 11 Ma
(Fig. 14; see Stop 10; GSWA 194784; Kirkland et al.,
2012c). Together, these dates indicate that the basement
to the Nornalup Zone contains Paleoproterozoic granitic
rocks, similar to those found in the Biranup Zone. These
Paleoproterozoic granites are indistinguishable in whole-
rock geochemistry, and isotopic signature (Smithies et al.,
2015b). Zircon rims from a sample of metatonalite from
the Boingaring Rocks yielded a date of 1198 ± 11 Ma,
interpreted as the age of metamorphism and migmatization
during Stage II of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny (GSWA
194785; Kirkland et al., 2014d).
Recherche Supersuite
a) n = 14
8
6
Number

(Fig. 4; Myers, 1990, 1995b). In the western part of the

orogen the Nornalup Zone is separated from the Biranup 4
Zone by the Northcliffe Fault and the Heywood-Cheyne
Shear Zone, and extends offshore an unknown distance
(Figs 4, 5). In the eastern part of the orogen the eastern 2
Nornalup Zone is the southern- and easternmost unit
and extends as far east as the Madura Province, which
it is separated from by the Rodona Shear Zone (Figs  2, 0
4 and 5; Spaggiari et al., 2014c, 2015, 2016a). The 1100 1150 1200 1250 1300 1350 1400
Age (Ma)
Newman and Boonderoo Shear Zones separate the eastern 15
Nornalup Zone from the Fraser Zone (Fig. 5) (Spaggiari b)
et al., 2014c, 2016a). The eastern Nornalup Zone contains
10
Paleoproterozoic granites that have been extensively
intruded by the Mesoproterozoic Recherche and Esperance
Supersuites, which mask much of the original basement 5
(Spaggiari et al., 2011). No Paleoproterozoic intrusive
rocks have as yet been recognized in the western Nornalup
e Hf

0
Zone, however, this may be due to the prevalence of
Mesoproterozoic intrusives and the sparse data, compared
-5
to the east. The 1330–1276 Ma Recherche Supersuite
was emplaced during Stage I of the Albany Fraser
Orogeny and is dominated by amphibolite to granulite -10
facies syenogranite, monzogranite and granodiorite, and
lesser amounts of comagmatic intermediate and mafic -15
intrusives (Figs 9, 18; Nelson et al., 1995; Myers, 1995b; 1000 1400 1800 2200 2600 3000
Spaggiari et al., 2011; Smithies et al., 2014, 2015b). The Age (Ma)
CS194 08.0814
1198–1140 Ma Esperance Supersuite was emplaced during
Stage II of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny and is dominated Figure 18. a) Probability density diagram and histograms of
by greenschist to amphibolite facies metagranite that mean U–Pb zircon magmatic crystallization ages
(in orange) and metamorphic ages (in blue) from
includes strongly magnetic phases (Fig. 19; Myers,
the Recherche Supersuite. The letter n refers to
1995b; Spaggiari et al., 2011, 2014a; Smithies et al., the number of dated samples; b) εHf evolution
2015b). These strongly magnetic granites form a belt plot from available samples with igneous zircons
approximately 60 km wide and about 300 km long within from the same dataset (n = 5; coloured); other data
the eastern Nornalup Zone (see Stop 12). from the Albany–Fraser Orogen in light grey; data
from the Yilgarn Craton in dark grey (Wyche et al.,
Older basement components of the Nornalup Zone 2012). A reference evolution line corresponding to
include migmatitic, metatonalitic gneiss, exposed about a 176Lu/177Hf ratio of 0.015 is shown in black. After
Spaggiari et al. (2014b).

25
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Esperance Supersuite
4 15

10
3

5
Number

 Hf
2 0

-5
1

-10

0 -15
1040 1080 1120 1160 1200 1240 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 2800 3000
Age (Ma) Age (Ma)
CLK139 21/01/14

Figure 19. a) Probability density diagram and histograms of mean U–Pb zircon magmatic crystallization ages (in blue) from
the Esperance Supersuite. b) εHf evolution plot from available samples with igneous zircons from the same dataset
(n = 5; coloured); other data from the Albany–Fraser Orogen in light grey; data from the Yilgarn Craton in dark grey
(Wyche et al., 2012). A reference evolution line corresponding to a 176Lu/177Hf ratio of 0.015 is shown in black. After
Spaggiari et al. (2014b).

Crustal evolution, tectonic
events and models
This section provides a chronological summary of the
known tectonic events in the Albany–Fraser Orogen,
based on the integration of geophysical, geochronological,
whole-rock geochemical and isotopic data, sedimentation
history and basin analysis, and magmatic and structural
evolution. The data indicate that the Albany–Fraser
Orogen formed through varying degrees of reworking
of Archean Yilgarn Craton crust (Kirkland et al., 2011a;
Smithies et al., 2015b; Spaggiari et al., 2015). This
integrated approach was used to derive large-scale tectonic
models telling the story of a hyperextended Yilgarn
Craton margin, the forming and closing of the Arid Basin
and remnants of the Mirming Ocean, the formation and
accretion or destruction of intra-oceanic arcs, and the
non-collision between the WAC and the SAC due to
cratonization resulting from one of the most voluminous
magmatic events known to date — the Maralinga Event
(Kirkland et al., 2011a, 2017; Spaggiari et al., 2015,
2016a; Smithies et al., 2015b).
Neoarchean
Neoarchean rocks occur in the Tropicana Zone, the
Northern Foreland, including the Munglinup Gneiss, and
in the Mount Andrew area of the Biranup Zone and can
be divided between granites representative of the TTG
series and Archean sanukitoids (Smithies et al., 2015b).
The occurrence of sanukitoid granites in the Tropicana
Zone and in the Munglinup Gneiss indicate close
proximity to an old tectonic-plate margin and suggests
that these regions included at least two older plate tectonic
boundaries relating to the assembly of the Yilgarn Craton
(Smithies et al., 2015b).
The 2722–2554 Ma Atlantis Event
The 2722–2554 Ma Atlantis Event is named after the
Atlantis prospect of the Tropicana Zone Occhipinti
(Figs  5, 9; Tyler et al., 2015; Occhipinti et al., 2017a).
The upper date is constrained by the crystallization age
of 2722  ±  15 Ma obtained from zircon cores from a
moderately foliated metagranite that was sampled not far
from the Tropicana gold deposit (GSWA 182435, Kirkland
et al., 2013a). The Atlantis Event is defined by sanukitoid
magmatism and prolonged amphibolite to granulite-facies
metamorphism, recorded by a spread of U–Pb dates
ranging from 2718 to 2554 Ma obtained from 126 analyses
of metamorphic zircons from the c. 2826–2644 Ma
Hercules Gneiss (Figs 9, 11; Kirkland et al., 2015c). The
median date of 2634 ± 6 Ma for all metamorphic zircon
analyses may represent the time of peak metamorphic
conditions (Fig. 11; Kirkland et al., 2015c). The sanukitoid
magmatism, for which the best crystallization age estimate
is 2692 ± 16 Ma, has been interpreted as a fertile source for
gold mineralization in the Tropicana Zone (Kirkland et al.,
2015c). The timing of the Atlantis Event is consistent with
the minimum crystallization age of the Tropicana Gneiss
of 2638 ± 4 Ma (Doyle et al., 2015).
The 2520–2505 Ma Tropicana Event
The 2520–2505 Tropicana Event is named after the
Tropicana gold deposit of the Tropicana Zone (Figs 5, 9;
Tyler et al., 2015). This event represents a fluid-induced
gold mineralization event at greenschist facies conditions
which is dated by U–Pb rutile at 2521 ± Ma, Ar–Ar biotite

26
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
at 2515 ± 14 Ma, and Re–Os pyrite at 2505  ±  50  Ma
(Doyle et al., 2015). The closure temperatures of the
U–Pb system in rutile of 450 ± 50°C and of the Ar–
Ar system in biotite of 300 ± 50°C, indicate cooling
consistent with exhumation of the Tropicana Zone along
the Plumridge Detachment. The timing of the Tropicana
Event is distinctly younger than greenstone-associated
gold deposits of the Yilgarn Craton (world-class gold
mineralization at c. 2650 Ma) by more than 100 Ma
(Doyle et al., 2015; Occhipinti et al., 2017a).
Paleoproterozoic
In the Albany–Fraser Orogen, the period c. 2000–1600
Ma marks significant modification of the southern Yilgarn
Craton continental crust during the formation of the c.
1815–1600 Ma Barren Basin and the coeval emplacement,
in several episodes, of voluminous felsic magmatism in
a continental rift or distal back-arc setting (Spaggiari et
al., 2015; Smithies et al., 2015b). These magmatic events
progressively mask, although do not destroy, the Archean
heritage of the crust (Smithies et al., 2015b).
The Madura and Coompana Provinces of the Eucla
basement, the Musgrave Province and the easternmost
part of the Albany–Fraser Orogen near Rodona Shear
Zone form a geographically continuous region indicative
of a relic oceanic lithosphere affected by new additions
of asthenospheric melt (Kirkland et al., 2017). This
represents plate tectonic processes between the WAC and
the SAC related to the evolution of the Mirning Ocean that
originated at 1950–1900 Ma (Fig. 9; Kirkland et al., 2017).
1815–1800 Ma Salmon Gums Event
This event represents the earliest recognized phase of
magmatic activity of the Paleoproterozoic evolution
the Albany–Fraser Orogen, and the early stages of
development of the c. 1815–1600 Ma Barren Basin (Fig. 9;
Spaggiari et al., 2015). It coincides with the deposition
of the Stirling Range Formation, exposed in the western
Albany–Fraser Orogen (Fig. 4). The Stirling Range
Formation consists of sub-greenschist to lower greenschist
facies quartzite, shale, slate and phyllite, interpreted to
have been deposited in a shallow marine setting (Cruse,
1991; Cruse and Harris, 1994). U–Pb dating of detrital
zircons from the Stirling Range Formation yielded a
maximum depositional age of 2016 ± 6 Ma, a xenotime
U–Pb date of 1800 ± 14 Ma, interpreted as the age of
diagenesis, and a metamorphic age of 1215 ± 20 Ma from
monazite overgrowths (Rasmussen et al., 2002, 2004).
Consequently, the Stirling Range Formation is interpreted
as the oldest recognized sedimentary unit of the Barren
Basin, metamorphosed during Stage II of the Albany–
Fraser Orogeny (Fig. 9; Spaggiari et al., 2015).
The tectonic setting of the 1815–1800 Ma Salmon Gums
Event is inferred from that of the 1815–1600 Ma Barren
Basin, which is interpreted to have developed either in
a continental rift or a distal back-arc setting within the
Yilgarn Craton margin (Fig. 20a; Spaggiari et al., 2015).
Whole-rock geochemistry indicates that granites formed
during the Salmon Gums Event were derived from large-
27
scale remelting of Archean crust associated with juvenile
mantle additions (Smithies et al., 2015b).
1780–1760 Ma Ngadju Event
The 1780–1760 Ma Ngadju Event, named after the Ngadju
people, is the second phase of magmatism recorded in the
Albany–Fraser Orogen (Fig. 9; Spaggiari et al., 2014a).
This event is recorded in the Biranup and Nornalup
Zones, as well as the Tropicana Zone, and coincided
with widespread sediment deposition and the formation
of various sub-basins of the Barren Basin (Fig. 20b;
Spaggiari et al., 2015). The similarity in magmatic ages
in both the Biranup and Nornalup zones implies that
these zones shared the same Paleoproterozoic (and likely
Archean) substrate, prior to intrusion of the Fraser Zone
and Recherche Supersuite during Stage I of the Albany–
Fraser Orogeny (Fig. 9). Thus, the large shear zone
system that separates the Biranup and Nornalup Zones
(Coramup and Heywood–Cheyne Shear Zones, Figs 4,  5)
is interpreted as a long-lived, reactivated structure
that reflects an earlier history of rift-related extension
(Spaggiari et al., 2014a,c, 2015).
This second pulse of magmatism between c. 1780– 1760 Ma
is interpreted to have further thermally weakened the crust,
leading to the formation of an asymmetric low-angle
detachment away from the craton, exhuming a mid-crustal
core-complex (Fig. 20b). This potentially increased the
extension rate, the widening of the basin and crustal
thinning resulting in the production of gabbroic rocks
concurrently with the emplacement of mantle-derived
granitic magmas (Spaggiari et al., 2015). This possibly
led to increased sedimentation into the Barren Basin
resulting in the deposition of sedimentary protoliths to the
Mount Barren Group, the Coramup Gneiss, the Lindsay
Hill Formation, the Woodline Formation and the Big Red
paragneiss (Figs 21, 22; Spaggiari et al., 2014c, 2015).
Figure 20. (next page) Tectonic evolution of the Barren Basin:
a) Extension of the southern Yilgarn Craton by
c. 1805 Ma formed a horst and graben architecture
exposing basement highs. Detritus was sourced
from the Yilgarn Craton hinterland, the basement
highs, and potentially external sources. Detritus was
potentially sourced from reworked Yilgarn Craton
crust (denoted by paler brown), or external sources.
Mantle melting produced lower crustal melts and
granitic intrusions along middle crustal shear
zones; b) extension and magmatism was again
prevalent between 1780 and 1760 Ma, producing
an asymmetric, melt-lubricated detachment
leading to doming and a core complex mode
of extension, and basin widening. Volcanism is
inferred; c)  during the 1710– 1650 Ma Biranup
Orogeny increased magmatism led to thermal
subsidence and deepening of the basin, an
increased sediment load, and formation of deeper
depositional centres flanked by topographic highs.
Volcanism is inferred. The folds are interpreted as
formed during the c. 1680 Ma Zanthus Event. Green
indicates mafic/mantle component; pink indicates
crustal melt/granitic component. SRF = Stirling
Range Formation; WF = Woodline Formation. Large
arrows indicate approximate stress field orientation.
After Spaggiari et al. (2014b).
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) c. 1805 Ma

Yilgarn Craton
detritus Barren Basin detritus
SRF
upper crust

middle to lower crust crustal melts

mantle melt

Approximately 50 km

b) c. 1770 Ma

Yilgarn Craton
detritus Barren Basin
detritus

upper crust

middle to
lower crust
crustal melts

mantle melt
Approximately 100 km

c) c. 1670 Ma

Yilgarn Craton
detritus Barren Basin
detritus
WF
upper crust

middle to
lower crust
crustal melts

mantle melt

CS190 Approximately 150 km 07.12.17

28
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

Kybulup Schist
Sr - 02 n = 17

Kybulup Schist
Sr- 01 n = 50
Mount Barren Group

Kundip Quartzite
112168 n=7

Kundip Quartzite
n = 14
112170
Kundip Quartzite
Tr - 02 n = 37
Steere Formation
Tr-01 n = 49

CG 184122 n = 29
Fly Dam Formation

194743 n = 93

194742 n = 30

194722 n = 32

Es

194731 n = 23

PCpg
182475 182473 n = 18
BRp

182416 182405 n = 94

LHFm
177921 n = 58

179097 n = 40
Woodline Formation

179602 n = 43

165593 n = 52

179098 n = 54

165592
n = 54

165591 n = 54

1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 2800 3000
CS182 07.05.14
Age (Ma)

Figure 21. Normalized probability density diagram of detrital zircon dates from samples of the Barren Basin. Sample numbers
are shown on the left. The letter n refers to the number of analyses from each sample. Data are 207Pb/206Pb ages
that are >95% concordant. CG = Coramup Gneiss; Es = Eddy schist; PCpg = Ponton Creek psammitic gneiss;
BRp = Big Red paragneiss; LH Fm = Lindsay Hill Formation. After Spaggiari et al. (2014b).

29
Quentin de Gromard et al.
120 Barren Basin
100
80
Number
60
40
20
0
800 1300 1800 2300
CS183 Age (Ma)
Figure 22. Probability density diagram and histogram for detrital zircon data (individual analyses) from the Barren
Basin. Data are 207Pb/206Pb ages that are > 95 % concordant. After Spaggiari et al. (2014b).
1710–1650 Ma Biranup Orogeny
Several phases of mildly alkaline granite magmatism
produced widespread syenogranitic rocks throughout
the eastern Biranup Zone from c. 1710 Ma through to
at least 1650 Ma, during the Biranup Orogeny (Fig. 9;
Spaggiari et al., 2011). During this period, sedimentation
and formation of the Barren Basin was ongoing, with
deposition of units such as the Woodline Formation
and the Fly Dam Formation (Figs 9, 20c; Spaggiari
et  al., 2015). The c. 1680 Ma Zanthus Event (Fig. 9)
is a compressional phase of the Biranup Orogeny that
produced folding under upper amphibolite to granulite
facies conditions in Biranup Zone granitic gneiss that
intruded Barren Basin psammitic gneiss (Kirkland et al.,
2011a). Younger igneous rocks produced during the
Biranup Orogeny include the 1671–1660 Ma Eddy Suite,
which is dominated by rapakivi-textured metagranodiorite
mingled with metagabbro (Spaggiari et al., 2011). These
rocks have intruded Barren Basin semipelitic schist.
Whole-rock geochemistry suggests that granites produced
towards the end of the Biranup Orogeny record recycling
of previously reworked Archean felsic crust, with
additional mantle material (Smithies et al., 2015b). These
data, and the record of basin formation suggest that crustal
30
n = 848
2800 3300 3800
07/04/14
evolution from c. 1800 Ma to the end of the Biranup
Orogeny at 1650 Ma was most likely controlled by crustal
thinning events (Fig. 20a–c; Smithies et al., 2015b).
Increased magmatism during the 1710–1650 Ma Biranup
Orogeny may have led to thermal subsidence and
deepening of the Barren Basin (Fig. 20c). A brief period of
compression during the c. 1680 Ma Zanthus Event resulted
in folding, basin inversion and erosion of Biranup Orogeny
aged rocks into units of the Fly Dam and Woodline
Formations (Fig. 21). The Fly Dam Formation, which has
a maximum depositional age of c. 1617 Ma, may represent
the last stage of basin formation and the transition to the
Arid Basin (Fig. 9; Spaggiari et al., 2015).
An explanation for the distinct period of quiescence
between c. 1600 and 1455 Ma, shown by the sparse detrital
zircons of this age in the Arid Basin (Figs 23,  24) — and
by the lack of tectonothermal activity in the Albany–Fraser
Orogen (Fig. 9) — is that the continental rift (or back-arc)
described above evolved into a marginal basin, forming
an ocean–continent transition and passive margin. If a
convergent margin setting is invoked, the quiescent period
would indicate substantial retreat of the accompanying
subduction zone. This marginal basin marks the initial
setting of the Arid Basin (Spaggiari et al., 2015).
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

194867 n=9
194869
Malcolm Metamorphics

112128 n = 13

194714 n = 12
Snowys Dam Formation

194777 n = 56

194778 n = 51

177910 n = 22

182432 n = 28
Gwynne Creek Gneiss

n = 42
194735

1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 2800

CS185
Age (Ma)
29/11/13

Figure 23. Normalized probability density diagram of detrital zircon dates from individual samples of the Arid Basin. Sample
numbers are shown on the left. The letter n refers to the number of analyses from each sample. After Spaggiari
et al. (2014b).

31
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Arid Basin n = 233

35

30

25
Number

20

15

10

0
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 2800
CS186
Age (Ma) 07/04/14

Figure 24. Probability density diagram and histogram for all detrital zircon data (individual analyses) from the Arid
Basin. Data are 207Pb/206Pb ages that are > 95 % concordant. After Spaggiari et al. (2014b).

Mesoproterozoic Metamorphics may have been deposited in a fore-arc

c. 1500 Ma
The earliest Arid Basin sediments are interpreted to have
been deposited into the marginal basin that formed after
the Biranup Orogeny. During this period the sediments
are interpreted as mainly derived from the Biranup
and Nornalup Zones (Fig. 25a). The Nornalup Zone is
envisaged as the main continental portion of the ocean-
continent transition formed during Paleoproterozoic rifting
(Spaggiari et al., 2015).
c. 1410 Ma
By at least c. 1415 Ma, the tectonic setting is interpreted
to have changed to convergence with approximately
east-dipping ocean–ocean subduction, as indicated by
oceanic arc-magmatism of the 1415–1389 Ma Haig
Cave Supersuite in the Madura Province (the Loongana
Arc), which must have been isolated from any significant
mass of continental crust to produce the mafic-ultramafic
rocks and low-K plagiogranites (Spaggiari et al., 2015;
Kirkland et al., 2017). It is also consistent with the
lack of evidence of tectonic activity in the Biranup and
Nornalup Zones (the passive margin hinterland at this
time). The sedimentary and basaltic rocks of the Malcolm
or intra-arc setting at this time, (Fig. 25b; see Stop 13)
(Spaggiari et al., 2015; Smithies et al., 2015d).
1330–1140 Ma Albany–Fraser Orogeny
The Albany–Fraser Orogeny is divided into two tectonic
events: Stage I, from 1330 to 1260 Ma, and Stage II,
from 1225 to 1140 Ma (Clark et al., 2000; Bodorkos and
Clark, 2004a; Spaggiari et al., 2014a, 2015; Smithies
et al., 2015b) . Stage I is represented by high-temperature
metamorphism and deformation and by voluminous
intrusive felsic and mafic magmatism of the Recherche
Supersuite, which includes meta-igneous rocks of the
Fraser Zone. Stage II is interpreted as a widespread,
high-temperature metamorphic event accompanied by
deformation and emplacement of dominantly felsic
intrusive rocks of the Esperance Supersuite.
Stage I: 1330–1260 Ma
The c. 1330–1260 Ma Stage I of the Albany–Fraser
Orogeny is interpreted to have been triggered by collision
and accretion of the Loongana Arc of the Madura Province
onto the eastern Nornalup Zone, producing a suture zone
defined by the Rodona Shear Zone (Fig. 26a; Spaggiari
et al., 2014c, 2015; Smithies et al., 2015b). Stage I is

32
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) 1500 Ma
Biranup Zone /
modied Yilgarn; Madura Province;
continental crust Nornalup Zone; OCT, oceanic crust
OCT

pr
ot
o-
CSH
Z
Arid Basin
upper crust
oceanic crust

middle crust ho OLM

Mo
SCLM
lower crust

Approximately 400 km

b) 1410 Ma
Biranup Zone /
modied Yilgarn; Madura Province;
continental crust Nornalup Zone; OCT, oceanic and oceanic arc crust
OCT
pr

Loongana oceanic
ot

magmatic-arc
o-
C

MM
Arid Basin
SZ

(fore-arc basin)

upper crust oceanic crust

middle crust ho OLM Fore-arc

Mo SCLM mantle
lower crust

Approximately 400 km
RQ79 30/11/17

Figure 25. Mesoproterozoic tectonic evolution: a) At c. 1500 Ma the Arid Basin was a marginal basin that lay outboard of the
Yilgarn Craton and Biranup Zone, with the Nornalup Zone as an ocean–continent transition (OCT).These zones
were part of a passive margin that provided the bulk of the detritus to the basin at that time; b) convergent setting
and development of the Loongana oceanic magmatic-arc at c. 1400 Ma.The Malcolm Metamorphics are interpreted
fore-arc basin deposits, but the bulk of the Arid Basin is still a marginal basin. SCLM = sub-continental lithospheric
mantle; OLM = oceanic lithospheric mantle; OCT = ocean-continent transition; MM = Malcolm Metamorphics;
CSZ = Coramup Shear Zone; HCSZ= Heywood–Cheyne Shear Zone; FSZ = Fraser Shear Zone; NSZ = Newman
Shear Zone; RSZ = Rodona Shear Zone; FZ = Fraser Zone. Green indicates mafic / mantle component; pink
indicates crustal melt /granitic component. Large arrows indicate approximate stress field orientation. After
Spaggiari et al. (2014b).

characterized by long-lived, widespread, coeval felsic
and mafic magmatism of the Recherche Supersuite
accompanied by high-temperature and moderate- to
high-pressure metamorphism and deformation (Fig. 9)
(Nelson et al., 1995; Clark et al., 2000; Bodorkos and
Clark, 2004a). Granites of the Recherche Supersuite
reflect melting of the crust with a major mantle source
component. This magmatism is interpreted to have
migrated from the southeast to the northwest over time
and possibly resulted from mantle upwelling during
slab detachment from the east-dipping subduction zone
(Fig. 26a; Smithies et al., 2015b).
By c. 1300 Ma, deposition of the known units of the
Arid Basin has ceased, marked by the earliest phase
of metamorphism dated at 1292 ± 5 Ma in the Snowys
Dam Formation (see Stop 6; GSWA 194714, Kirkland
et al., 2011f). This is also the time of emplacement of the
1305–1290 Ma Fraser Range intrusive rocks, interpreted
as resulting from delamination of the lithosphere following
obduction of the Arubiddy Ophiolite Complex and
cessation of subduction (Fig. 26b; see Stop 13).

33
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) 1330 Ma
Biranup Zone /
modied Yilgarn; Madura Province;
continental crust OCT, oceanic and oceanic arc crust
Nornalup Zone;
OCT
pr
ot

Arid Basin RS accreted fore-arc / oceanic-arc

o-

Z MM
FS

(foreland) (Loongana Arc)

Z

Upper crust
oceanic crust
OLM
Middle crust Moho
SCLM early Recherche upwelling mantle
Lower crust
magmatism
oceanic slab
detachment

Approximately 400 km

b) 1330 Ma Arid Basin

RS (foreland portion)
pro

Z
(s
to-F

ut
ur
e)
S

Crustal buttress SDFm

Z

Upper crust

Middle crust Moho

SCLM
Lower crust

c) 1300 Ma

Albany–Fraser Orogen; Madura Province;

thickened crust delaminates accreted ophiolite complex, remaining oceanic crust

accreted fore-arc / oceanic-arc

NS

RS
FS

(Loongana Arc)
Z
Z

Upper crust FZ
oceanic crust

Middle crust OLM

ho
Lower crust Mo SCLM
delamination

Recherche magmatism migrates west

Approximately 400 km
RQ80 17/10/17

Figure 26. Mesoproterozoic tectonic evolution: a) Closure of the marginal basin, oceanic magmatic-arc accretion and
slab detachment triggered the onset of Stage I, and early Recherche Supersuite magmatism. Sediments
were transferred from the Loongana oceanic magmatic-arc and its environs to the upper Arid Basin;
b) Inset showing a revised interpretation of a foreland deep trough, into which sediments of the Snowys Dam
Formation were deposited; c) Slab detachment leads to delamination and migration of Recherche Supersuite
magmatism, culminating with mantle upwelling and intrusive magmatism into the Fraser Zone. Abbreviations
as per Figure 25. Modified from Spaggiari et al. (2014b).

34
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
The Ragged Basin represents a restricted sequence
of which the only known unit is the Mount Ragged
Formation, which is exposed in the eastern Nornalup Zone
(Fig. 5). The Mount Ragged Formation is interpreted to
have been deposited in the latter part of Stage I of the
Albany–Fraser Orogeny (Waddell et al., 2015).
Stage II: 1225–1140 Ma
Stage II was dominated by intense deformation including
craton-vergent thrusting, high-temperature and moderate
pressure metamorphism, and mainly felsic magmatism
after c. 1200 Ma (Myers, 1995b; Clark et al., 2000;
Part 2: the field guide
Overview of excursion
localities
This six-day excursion starts in Kalgoorlie and finishes
in the town of Denmark, the location of the 2017 SGTSG
conference. A series of geological sites are described
that together contribute towards an understanding of
the geological evolution of the region, and provide an
overview of the recent geoscientific work carried out
by GSWA and its research partners. The sites have been
chosen because of their relative ease of access, quality of
outcrop, and coverage of tectonic units. As the study area
is vast (>140 000 km2 [i.e. about the size of England]),
large driving distances are necessary and total driving
distance during this six-day excursion exceeds 1800 km.
A generalized view of the excursion route is shown in
Figures 27, 28, 29 and 30. Access to stops is via highways,
shire roads, and four-wheel drive (4WD) tracks over a
combination of crown land, pastoral leases, and lands
managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation
and Attractions (DBCA), the largest being the Dundas
Nature Reserve.
Although this guide provides location details to permit its
later use by anyone wishing to independently follow the
excursion route, it must be noted that access to pastoral
leases must be by permission of the station owners
(Fraser Range Station and Southern Hills Station), and
that restrictions apply to DBCA-managed lands, such
as the collection of samples. Please contact the relevant
authorities before proceeding, especially as track
conditions are subject to change, and may be damaged or
impassable in wet weather.
Day 1: Kalgoorlie to Fraser Range
Day 1 begins with a view over the Kalgoorlie Super Pit.
We will then go through a series of outcrops near Mount
Hunt, 8 km south of Kalgoorlie along the Goldfields
Highway. We will then keep driving south to Norseman
and finally east on the Eyre Highway to stay overnight at
Fraser Range Station.
35
Dawson et al., 2003; Spaggiari et al., 2009, 2011; Smithies
et al., 2015b). This is the time of emplacement of the
widespread and voluminous 1198– 1140 Ma Esperance
Supersuite, particularly abundant in the Nornalup Zone.
Many of these intrusions have distinct high magnetic
signatures (see also Stops  11 and 12). Granites and
gabbros of the same age — the Moodini Supersuite —
are found in the adjoining Madura Province and in the
Coompana Province. Their extent is significant and shows
that magmatism at this time is not confined to the Albany–
Fraser Orogen. Rather, this magmatic event may have
resulted in cratonization of the crust between the WAC and
the SAC (Kirkland et al., 2017). 
The aim of this day is to look at some typical rocks of the
Eastern Goldfields Superterrane of the Yilgarn Craton, to
get a feel for what gets reworked in the Albany–Fraser
Orogen, and then into a section through different tectonic
units (i.e. the Northern Foreland and the Biranup Zone)
of the east Albany–Fraser Orogen. Fraser Range Station
is located within the Fraser Zone. Although a short sunset
walk from the station into rocks of the Fraser Zone is
available, the dedicated time for the examination of Fraser
Zone rocks is planned for Day 2.
Stop 1: Super Pit lookout
The Fimiston Open Pit (Fig. 31) at the southeastern edge
of the city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, informally known
as the Super Pit, measuring about 3.5 km in length,
1.5 km in width and more than 600 m in depth (http://
superpit.com.au/about/about-us/), is one of the largest
producing gold mines in Australia. It covers the Golden
Mile mineralized system, which has seen a continuous
production of gold since 1893 when Paddy Hannan,
Tom Flanagan and Daniel O'Shea discovered gold in
surface samples of quartz near present-day Mt Charlotte
(Vielreicher et al., 2016). More than 60 million ounces of
gold has been extracted from the Golden Mile since 1893
(https://superpit.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CR_
MER170517_60Moz-Milestone-for-Golden-Mile.pdf).
Mining on the Golden Mile was carried out by numerous
companies but they were progressively consolidated into
larger ones (Vielreicher et al., 2016). Alan Bond (Bond
International Gold) acquired effective control of the
Golden Mile through majority shareholding in Gold Mines
of Kalgoorlie (GMK) in 1988 (http://superpit.com.au/
about/history/) but Bond Gold Australia sold half of their
interest in GMK to Homestake Gold of Australia to form
a joint venture, which was named Kalgoorlie Consolidated
Gold Mines (KCGM). KCGM is currently a joint venture
between Barrick Gold Corporation and Newmont Mining
Corporation that manage the Fimiston Open Pit and Mt
Charlotte underground mine.
Mineralization in the Kalgoorlie mining district can be
categorized into two main styles: mostly ductile Fimiston
Quentin de Gromard et al.

118° Lake Deborah 120° 122° Yindarlgooda

West Lake Deborah Mt Burges Start Kalgoorlie
1
– boulder
East 554
2 Fig. 32
Lake Seabrook
y
Hw
Southern Cross Great Eastern Kambalda
Lake Lefroy
Merredin Widgiemooltha Lake Cowan
Coolgardie –
Esperance Hwy
Fig. 40-41
Nights 1 & 2
32° 3 4 5 Fraser Range Fig. 57
d 10
Roa Eyre Hwy 6
m an Norseman 7 Southern
Corrigin Norse Hills
Hyden Hyden – Balladonia 11
Lake Hope Lake 8 Roadhouse
Dundas
9
Peak Charles
651 Booanya
Lake Tay
Lake King Salmon Gums Lunch Stop
Coolgardie – Fig. 58
Lake Grace 200
Esperance Hwy 200
South Tower Peak
Ravensthorpe Fig. 71 594
y
Nights 3 & 4
Hw
Coast Munglinup
Fig. 64 13
th 14
Sou 15 Esperance Wharton
34° 12
17 Fig. 61 Fig. 63
16
Fig. 68
18
SOUTHERN OCEAN
19
200 Night 5
1 Field trip stops Other highways/roads
Fig. 76
Denmark Field trip route Localities
End Albany
RQ57a 100 km 30/11/17

Figure 27. Topographic map showing the route and stops for the SGTSG 2017 pre-conference field trip.

and brittle Mt Charlotte. The Fimiston-style lodes are
characterized by folded, chalcedonic silica and carbonate
veins with fine-grained sulfide haloes and telluride.
Bonanza Green-Leader or Oroya-style lodes are similar
to the Fimiston lodes but are very high grade, more than
1000 g/t Au that reaches up to 100 000 g/t (Vielreicher
et al., 2016). The alteration assemblage of the Oroya lodes
typically contains roscoelite (green leader) with ankerite,
calcite, siderite, sericite, V–Ti-bearing Fe-oxides, pyrite
and chalcopyrite, among others (Vielreicher et al., 2016).
The Mt Charlotte style mineralization consists of late,
white quartz veins with sulfidic haloes that form a vein
array (Nixon et al., 2014; Vielreicher et al., 2016).
Structural timing of the Fimiston lodes is debated. Some
authors suggest that these lodes developed during later
stages of the development of the Golden Mile Fault, which
is a thrust structure developed during D1 deformation
(Bateman and Hagemann, 2004). They argue that the
Fimiston lodes, which are intersected by all structures,
are associated with faults subsidiary to the Golden Mile
Fault. However, other researchers (Vielreicher et al.,
2016) note that the Fimiston lodes overprint D1 structures
and developed broadly synchronous with the regional
northwest trending D2 structures. The Mt Charlotte lodes
are commonly associated with dextral movement along
the faults associated with the D4 event (Swager, 1989;
Bateman and Hagemann, 2004).
Most of gold in the Golden Mile deposit is hosted by the
2680 Ma tholeiitic Golden Mile Dolerite (Bateman and
Hagemann, 2004; Rasmussen et al., 2009; Vielreicher
et  al., 2016), which is a differentiated sill commonly
believed to intrude the volcanic–sedimentary Black Flag
Group along the contact with the Paringa Basalt. The
stratigraphy of the Kalgoorlie region is described in more
detail in the following section.
Stop 2: The Hannan Lake – Mount Hunt
traverse
The purpose of this stop is to look at some typical
lithologies of the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane in the
Kalgoorlie–Kambalda region, to have a feel for what gets
reworked in the Albany–Fraser Orogen. Four outcrops will
be visited starting on the western edge of Hannan Lake
and progressively moving west, visiting different units of
the stratigraphy (Fig. 32).

36
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

118° 120° 122°

Start Kalgoorlie
1
– boulder
2

Avoca F
Bo
Ko Kambalda

ault
ol

uld

ne

ne
an

Zo

Zo
er
oo

–L

ar
Zu
ka

r
ea
he
Widgiemooltha

efr
Fa

leik

Sh
rS
ul

oy
t

an
aS

as
Fa
Ida

wm
Fr
hea

ult

Ne
Fa
Nights 1 & 2

rZ
3 4 5 Fraser Range

ult

one
32°
10
Norseman 6 7 Southern
Hills
Balladonia 11
9 Roadhouse
8
ult Booanya
Fa
Ka p
tu

e
wa ut

on
na ac

rZ
rd

ne
Fa

ea
Je

Zo
u

Sh
lt

r
up

ea
m

Sh
a
lt

or
Ravensthorpe
au

da
C
F

an
Munglinup Nights 3 & 4
ate

13

r
Ju
Da ult
Fa
eg

rka up
arr
wd

nF
au c 15 Esperance 14 Wharton
rra
Ne

34° lt Ya 12
17 16
18 Bremer Fault
Bremer Bay
19
Night 5

Denmark
End Albany
RQ56 100 km 05/10/17

Locality Major fault Thrust Anticline

1 Field trip stops Minor fault Strike-slip fault Syncline
Field trip route * *
Reverse fault * *
Oblique fault, reverse, dextral Fold axial trace

Figure 28. Excursion route and stops overlain on gravity data. Major structures are simplified from the State Interpreted Bedrock
Geology 1:500 000 (GSWA, 2016a).

Regional setting Goldfields terrane configuration (Barley et al., 2008)

The Yilgarn Craton is divided into four main terranes:
the Youanmi (3400–2620 Ma), Narryer (3800–2620 Ma),
Eastern Goldfields Superterrane (EGST; <3000 Ma), and
the Southwest (3500–2620 Ma). The EGST (Cassidy et al.,
2006) constitutes the eastern part of the craton that is
separated from the Youanmi Terrane to the west by a major
crustal feature that broadly coincides with the Ida Fault
(Fig. 33). The superterrane is bounded to the north by the
Capricorn Orogen and to the south by the Albany–Fraser
Orogen. Its eastern edge is covered by the Phanerozoic
Canning Basin.
The EGST has been divided into fault-bounded
tectonostratigraphic terranes (Fig. 33). The most widely
published subdivision comprises four terranes: the
Kalgoorlie, Kurnalpi, Burtville, and Yamarna Terranes
(Cassidy et al., 2006; Pawley et al., 2012). These
terranes were defined on the basis of distinct lithological
associations, geochemistry, and ages of volcanism
(Swager, 1997). Alternative versions of the Eastern
show different boundaries suggesting different lithological
associations. Dividing these so called terranes are major
fault systems which are at times poorly resolved. The
Ida and Ockerburry fault systems together with the
Hootanui and Yamarna subdivide the eastern parts of the
superterrane. The Ida fault system extends to the base of
the crust of the Yilgarn Craton, which itself is quite thick
32–46 km with seismic and gravity data suggesting that
the greenstones are 2–7 km in thickness (Wyche, 2014).
The Kalgoorlie–Kambalda region contains the ‘classic’
Kalgoorlie stratigraphy, first described by Woodall (1965)
and extended to Kambalda by Gresham and Loftus-Hills
(1981), although the formal nomenclature for the mafic-
ultramafic succession that now comprises the lower
Hannans Subgroup was first published by Roberts (1988).
The Hannans Subgroup of the Kalgoorlie Group comprises
most of the lower mafic–ultramafic package. The basement
to this subgroup is not known in the Kambalda and
Kalgoorlie regions, where the Lunnon Basalt is currently

37
Quentin de Gromard et al.

118° 120° 122°

Start Kalgoorlie
1
– boulder
2

Avoca F

ne
ne
Bo
Ko Kambalda

Zo
Zo
ault
ol

uld
an

r
ea
ar
er
oo

he

Sh
–L
Zu
ka

rS
Widgiemooltha

efr

an
Fa

leik

wm
ul

oy

as
t

aS

Fr

Ne
Fa
Ida

hea

ult
Fa
Nights 1 & 2

rZ
3 4 5 Fraser Range

ult

one
32°
6 10
Norseman
7 Southern
Hills
Balladonia 11
8 Roadhouse
9
ult Booanya
Fa
Ka p
tu

e
wa ut

on
na ac

rZ
rd

ne
Fa

ea
Je

Zo
u

Sh
lt

r
up

ea
m

Sh
a
lt

or
Ravensthorpe
au

da
C
F

an
Munglinup Nights 3 & 4
ate

13

r
Ju
Da ult
Fa
eg

rka up
arr
wd

nF
au c 15 Esperance 14 Wharton
rra
Ne

34° lt Ya 12
17 16
18 Bremer Fault
Bremer Bay
19
Night 5

Denmark
End Albany
RQ58 100 km 17/10/17

Locality Major shear zone Thrust Antiform

1 Field trip stops Minor shear zone Strike-slip shear zone Synform

Field trip route * * Reverse shear zone * * Oblique shear zone, reverse, dextral Fold axial trace

Figure 29. Excursion route and stops overlain on aeromagnetic data. Major structures are simplified from the State Interpreted
Bedrock Geology 1:500 000 (GSWA, 2016a).

considered to be the lowermost formation. In turn, this olivine grains now consists of replaced talc–carbonate–
is overlain by the Kambalda Komatiite, Devon Consols serpentine(–magnetite). The spinifex zones, with coarse
Basalt, Kapai Slate and Paringa Basalt (Fig. 34). The sheaf-spinifex blades up to 30 cm long followed by fine-
Hannans Subgroup is unconformably or disconformably grained, random spinifex and a thin aphanitic flow top, are
overlain by volcaniclastic rocks of the Black Flag Group. replaced by talc–carbonate–albite–chlorite(–magnetite).
All parts of this stratigraphy have been extensively Albite content may be up to 15%.
intruded by mafic or mafic–ultramafic sills.
To the west, the Kambalda Komatiite is dominantly
serpentinized orthocumulate peridotite comprising
Stop 2a: Kambalda Komatiite
medium-grained, granular olivine pseudomorphs with
Here on the western shore of Hannan Lake we find interstitial amphibole and chlorite. East of the headland,
extensive outcrops of the lowest exposed unit of the islands in the Hannan Lake contain east-facing pillow
Kambalda Komatiite (Fig. 35a). The rocks at Serpentine basalt (Devon Consols Basalt), cherty sedimentary rock
Bay are atypical, in that they have been severely (Kapai Slate), and komatiitic basalt (Paringa Basalt).
subjected to talc–carbonate alteration that has fortuitously
persevered spinifex textures (Fig. 35b), which are This locality lies west of the northwest-trending Boulder–
indicative of the extrusive nature to these ultramafic flows Lefroy Fault (BLF), interpreted as a sinistral strike-slip
that vary in thickness from 1 to 10 m. Some flows show fault noted to have an offset of more than 10 km (Mueller
classic asymmetries in the spinifex textures, indicating et al., 2016). The stratigraphic sequence on either side of
that the sequence youngs to the east. A typical cumulate the BLF is right-way-up and dips away from it. Therefore,
base (B-zone) of dunite or peridotite with 2–3 mm the BLF has been interpreted to occur in the axial plane

38
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

118° 120° 122°

Start Kalgoorlie
1
– boulder
2

Avoca F
Bo
Ko Kambalda

ault
ol

uld

ne
an

ne
Zo
er
oo

Zo
–

ar
Zu
ka

Le

he

r
Widgiemooltha

ea
Fa

leik

f ro

rS
SZ

Sh
ul
t

yF

e
aS

ee

as

an
Ida

au

el

Fr

wm
hea

de
lt
Fa

un

Ne
Nights 1 & 2

rZ

C
3 4 5 Fraser Range

ult

one
32°
10
Norseman 6 Southern
7 Hills
Balladonia 11
8 Roadhouse
9
ult Booanya
Fa
Ka p
tu

ne
wa ut

ey r Zo
na ac

SZ
rd

ne
Fa

a
Je

d– She

Zo
ne
u lt

r
p

ea
Ch
yw mu

Sh
a
lt

or
Ravensthorpe

oo
au

Red Island SZ

da
C
F

an
Munglinup

He
ate

13

r
Nights 3 & 4

Ju
t
Da aul
eg

rka F
up
arr 14
wd

nF
au rra
c 15 Esperance Wharton
Ne

34° lt Ya 12
17 16
18 Bremer Fault
Bremer Bay
Millers Point Thrust 19
Night 5 SOUTHERN OCEAN
Heywood–Cheyne SZ

Denmark
End Albany
RQ59 100 km 07/12/17

Locality Major shear zone Thrust Antiform

1 Field trip stops Minor shear zone Strike-slip shear zone Synform

Field trip route * *

Reverse shear zone * *
Oblique shear zone, reverse, dextral Fold axial trace

Figure 30. Excursion route and stops overlain on the pre-Cenozoic interpreted bedrock geology. The geology of the Yilgarn
Craton is shaded and no legend is shown for it. Modified from the State Interpreted Bedrock Geology 1:500 000
(GSWA, 2016a). See legend on next page.

of a regional anticlinal fold (Swager, 1989). Figure 35a textures are common in the lower end of the MgO range
is a panoramic view of the breakaway where the various within high-Mg series (10–18 wt% MgO). The varioles
generations of overprinting fabrics can be seen. Steeply are interpreted to overprint primary volcanic structures,
east- and gently southeast-plunging slicken lines are also although they themselves have been also deformed and
seen in the area (Fig. 35c,d). Figure 35e shows a top down may represent early alteration or devitrification textures.
view over a sinistral fabric that indicates a western block
to the south movement, consistent with the displacement West of this creek, the Kapai Slate that overlies the Devon
on the BLF. Consols Basalt outcrops as a well-exposed chert marker.
At depth, the chert becomes carbonaceous and pyritic
slate. Several episodes of deformation are indicated by the
Stop 2b: Devon Consols Basalt and Kapai Slate presence of small-scale, low-angle faults and tight folds
(Wyche, 2007). Northwest-trending upright folds with
The Devon Consols Basalt is best exposed in the creek. subvertical fold axes, as shown in Figure 36c, commonly
Here it consists of variolitic basalt with well-preserved exhibit dextral asymmetry, while shear bands indicating
pillow structures (Fig. 36a,b). The pillows have a pale, a sinistral sense of motion are preserved just to the
feldspar-rich core and a greenish marginal phase with northwest of these folds (Fig. 36d).
matrix of chlorite, clinozoisite and tremolite (Hallberg,
1972). A transitional zone, spatially between the core and Immediately west of the Kapai Slate, the base of the
margin consists of varioles made up of locally coalescing, Williamstown Dolerite may be seen in small rubbly
spherical masses of radiating albite and amphibole plus outcrops of peridotite, now replaced as talc–tremolite–
chlorite (i.e. uralitized acicular pyroxene), whereas the serpentine(–magnetite–apatite) mineralogy. Euhedral
marginal phase consists of plagioclase (An5–25) in a felted olivine has been pseudomorphed by serpentine; euhedral
matrix of chlorite, clinozoisite and tremolite. Variolitic prismatic orthopyroxene is now replaced by talc–tremolite;

39
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Cretaceous Madura Formation Canning Basin

Carboniferous–
Permian Paterson Formation Bight Basin
Proterozoic Dolerite dyke, sill or plug
Albany–Fraser Orogeny Stage II (1225–1140 Ma)
Granitic rock
Esperance Supersuite
(1198–1140 Ma) Booanya Suite; Granitic rock
Granitic rock, porphyritic

1314–1175 Ma Mount Ragged Formation Ragged Basin

Mesoproterozoic

Albany–Fraser Orogeny Stage I (1330–1260 Ma)

Kepa Kurl Booya Province

Recherche Supersuite
(1330–1276 Ma) Granitic gneiss and metagranite

1310–1270 Ma Fraser Range Metamorphics

Metagabbroic rock Fraser Zone

1332–1304 Ma Snowys Dam Formation

Arid Basin

Albany–Fraser Orogen
1415–1313 Ma Malcolm Metamorphics
Biranup Orogeny (1710–1650 Ma)
2800–1600 Ma Metagranitic unit
c. 1806 Ma Metagranitic unit Biranup Zone

1671–1660 Ma Eddy Suite

Kepa Kurl Booya Province

1617–1600 Ma Fly Dam Formation
1651–1600 Ma Woodline Formation
Paleoproterozoic

Barren Basin
1990–1692 Ma Mount Barren Group
c.1800 Ma Stirling Range Formation
Metagranite, metagabbro and
metasedimentary rocks
Nornalup Zone
Metasedimentary unit
Salmon Gums Event (1815–1800 Ma)
Biranup Zone
Neoarchean

2684–2630 Ma Metagranitic unit

2718–1140 Ma Munglinup Gneiss

Northern Foreland
2800–1140 Ma Metagranitic unit
RQ74 07/12/17

Figure 30. Legend for Figure 30

and intergranular clinopyroxene is now mimicked by
chlorite, serpentine, or both. Farther south of the traverse,
a more differentiated portion of the Williamstown Dolerite
comprises gabbro where pyroxene is now altered to fibrous
tremolite and chlorite, while plagioclase is partially altered
to chlorite.
The Kapai Slate is encountered again across the gully
forming a prominent ridge just to the west of the creek.
This outcrop is interpreted as the western limb of a tight
D1 syncline. Moving further west we traverse rubbly
outcrops and float of the Devon Consols Basalt and then a
major fault is crossed seen with the repetition of the whole
sequence. The structural interpretation of the sequence is
shown in Figure 37. This interpretation presents an early,
isoclinal fold pair, in which the short limb is thinned
and sheared out, then tilted into a steeply west-dipping
orientation within the west limb of the regional anticline,
and subsequently refolded by a discontinuous, asymmetric
fold (Swager, 1989).
Continuing up the hill, outcrop and float of variolitic
Devon Consols Basalt contains large, weathered-out
varioles. The overlying Kapai Slate is marked by a line
of shallow workings that have been infilled overtime. The
Williamstown Dolerite is poorly exposed, being largely
covered by talus from Mount Hunt.
The final ascent to the summit of Mount Hunt crosses
Paringa Basalt, which consists of metamorphosed
pyroxene-spinifex textured basalt characterized by skeletal
and acicular amphibole that pseudomorphs primary
clinopyroxene, and minor biotite in a matrix of fine-
grained amphibole, chlorite, clinozoisite, albite and quartz.
The acicular textures range in scale from a few millimeters
up to 30 mm.
Stop 2c: Paringa Basalt
Deeply weathered, pillowed Paringa Basalt outcrops on
the eastern side of the highway. Younging to the southwest
is indicated by the pillows, whose weathered margins
are marked by variolitic textures (Fig. 38a, b). Breccias,
probably representing hyaloclastite, are also preserved
(Fig. 38c). Fresher material from the breakaway edge
consists of metamorphosed komatiitic basalt.

40
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

W E

RQ68 11/10/17

Figure 31. Panoramic view over the Fimiston Open Pit (a.k.a. the ‘SuperPit’) from the ‘SuperPit’ Lookout.

Granite
Boulder

Golden Mile Dolerite

Mt
Hu

Williamstown Dolerite
nt

Black Flag Group

Fault

Metasedimentary rock
Gold

Hannan
6587000

Fa

Paringa Basalt
fields

u
lt

a ay Kapai Slate
eB
tin
en Devon Consols Basalt
Serp
Kambalda Komatiite
c
Lake

d b Anticline
Mt Hunt
Syncline

Fault
mN

Younging direction
6586000

a Excursion locality
Hig
wah
y

500 m

357000 mE 358000 359000

SW163b 07/12/17

Figure 32. Simplified map Mount Hunt section. Outcrop sketch of the Mount Hunt–Hannan Lake area. Modified from Wyche
et al. (2014).

41
Quentin de Gromard et al.

116° 120° 124°

NARRYER
Yilgarn 26°
Craton
Wiluna
1000 km

Ida
Fault
EASTERN GOLDFIELDS
112° SUPERTERRANE YAMARNA
Leinster BURTVILLE
KURNALPI

KALG
YOUANMI
Leonora

OOR
LIE
Menzies

30°

Kalgoorlie

Southern
Cross

PERTH
Norseman

SOUTH WEST

Terrane boundary

34°

200 km

SW223b 04.05.17

Figure 33. Subdivision of the Yilgarn Craton into tectonostratigraphic terranes; name in bold capitals. After Wyche et al.
(2014).

KALGOORLIE–KAMBALDA

Kurrawang Formation
(<2657 Ma)

Merougil Formation (<2664 Ma)

Navajo Sandstone (<2657 Ma)
Black Flag Group
(2692–2655 Ma)

Dolerite
EGS greenstones (unassigned)

Yilgarn granites (unassigned)

Undivided Black Flag Group

Dolerite

Paringa Basalt
Hannans Subgroup
Kalgoorlie Group

Dolerite
(2720–2690 Ma)

Kapai Slate
(<2692 Ma)
Devon Consols Basalt

Kambalda Komatiite

Lunnon Basalt
Stratigraphic units not to scale Figure 34. Stratigraphic column of the Kalgoorlie–Kambalda
area.
RQ73 03/10/17

42
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a)

SW NE

b) c)

S N

d) e)

NW SE N S
RQ69 03/10/17

Figure 35. Field photographs from Stop 2a at Serpentine Bay, western edge of Hannan Lake: a) Panoramic view of the breakaway
exposing the lowermost exposed unit of the Kambalda Komatiite; b) well-preserved, randomly oriented pseudomorphs
after platy olivine-spinifex texture of the Kambalda Komatiite; c) and d) well-defined slicken lines in brittle faults
affecting the Kambalda Komatiite; e) asymmetric fabric indicating sinistral shear sense within the Kambalda Komatiite.

43
Quentin de Gromard et al.
a)
c)
S N
RQ70
Figure 36. Field photographs from Stop 2b: a) Well-preserved pillow basalt of the Devon Consols Basalt, showing varioles on
its margins(b); c) asymmetric, northwest-trending upright folds within the Kapai Slate indicating dextral shear sense;
d) shear bands affecting the Kapai Slate indicating sinistral shear sense.
Stop 2d: Black Flag Group
Metasedimentary rocks of the Black Flag Group outcrop
on the western side of the Goldfields Highway. Graded
bedding, current bedding, and scours indicate a consistent
westward younging, except where there are local reverses
due to minor folding. The basal beds contain zones of
oligomictic conglomerate. Farther west, conglomerates
are rarer and the sequence contains an appreciable felsic
volcaniclastic component.
Tight folds (Fig. 39a), sheared conglomerates (Fig. 39b)
and asymmetric folds sheared along the short limbs
(Fig. 39c) can be seen at this locality.
Stop 3: Geology of the Northern
Foreland
The purpose of this stop is to look at possible Archean
greenstone remnants within the Northern Foreland of the
Albany–Fraser Orogen. Since the last locality, we drove
across the northeast-trending Jerdacuttup Fault (Figs 28,
29, 30, 40 and 41). This fault marks the boundary between
44
b)
d)
S N
03/10/17
the Yilgarn Craton and the east Albany–Fraser Orogen
and more specifically, in this region, marks the boundary
between the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane and the
Northern Foreland (see ‘Northern Foreland’ section).
U–Pb zircon analysis of a metagranitic rock, collected
45 km northeast and along strike of this locality,
yielded a date of 2671 ± 5 Ma interpreted as the age
of magmatic crystallization of the granite protolith
(Fig. 41; GSWA 192521, Kirkland et al., 2012d). Farther
northeast, approximately 110 km from this locality, four
metagranitic rocks of the Northern Foreland yielded
interpreted crystallization ages ranging between c.  2680
and 2624 Ma (Fig. 5; GSWA 194791, Kirkland et al.,
2014e; 194792, Wingate et al., 2016a; 182419, Wingate
et al., 2016b; 194793, Wingate et al., 2016c). These
ages are similar to granite crystallization ages of the
adjacent Eastern Goldfields Superterrane. Only two
of these aforementioned samples contained datable
zircon overgrowths, which yielded dates of c. 1287 and
c. 1150 Ma, interpreted as the age of metamorphism
corresponding to Stages I and II of the Albany–Fraser
Orogeny, respectively.
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) to 121°30' b) i)
Kalgoorlie F1
Kapai Slate
F1

500 m

ii)

D1 fault

F3
iii) F3
30°50' Mt Hunt

D1 fault

?
Go
ldf
iel

Black Flag Group

ds
Hi
gh

Golden Mile Dolerite

wa
y

Sedimentary rock

Paringa Basalt to Kambalda

Postulated
Williamstown Dolerite
D1 fault
Kapai Slate F1 syncline

Devon Consols Basalt Regional

foliation
Kambalda Komatiite F3 fold

Major fault Main road

Minor fault Track

121°30'
SW165b 03/10/17

Figure 37. a) Interpretive map of Mount Hunt; b) schematic development of fold structures at Mount Hill – i) initial, asymmetric
F1 fold; ii) development of small-scale F1 nappe structure, with largely sheared-out short limb; iii) F3 refolding of the
F1 structure after it was tilted into a steep orientation during the F2 upright folding. After Swager (1989); Swager and
Griffin (1990).

45
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) a)

NW SE

b) b)

c) c)

NW SE
RQ71 03/10/17 RQ72 03/10/17

Figure 38. Field photographs from Stop 2c: a) Relict pillow
structure in saprolite after Paringa Basalt indicating
younging towards the southwest and showing
varioles on their margins (b); c) relict hyaloclastite
breccia in saprolite after Paringa Basalt.
Figure 39. Field photographs from Stop 2d: a) Tight folds in
weathered volcaniclastic beds of the Black Flag
Group; b) sheared conglomerates of the Black
Flag Group; c) asymmetric folding within deeply
weathered volcaniclastics of the Black Flag Group.

46
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

ne
r Zo
ea
Sh
m
Da

e
on
ne

og

rZ
Zo Nova

Fr

ea
ar

Sh
he

ill
rS

H
e

y
as

Sp
lt Fr
Fau
ttup

e
e
acu

on
on
Zone
Jerd

rZ
ar

ea
he
ar

Sh
ll S
lee She

Hi

am
s
on

sD
32°00'
*

m
5a5b
*

Sy

wn
Cundee

5c Fraser Range

Bro
To Norseman 56 km 3 Nights 1 & 2

4 10
Ro
adhTo Ba
ous llad
e 3 oni
4k a
6 m
Southern
7 Hills

ne
Zo
ar
S he
an
wm
Ne
*

*
32° 30’
ne

8
r Zo

9
hea
nS
Du

ma
nd

New
as
Sh
ea
rZ
on
e

122° 30’ *
* 123° 00’
RQ60 20 km 30/11/17

Localities Major shear zone Thrust Synform

1 Field trip stops
Mine (operational)
Field trip route
Minor shear zone Strike-slip shear zone Fold axial trace
Shear zone with dip * *
Oblique shear zone, reverse, dextral
* *
Reverse shear zone Antiform

Figure 40. Reduced-to-pole aeromagnetic image of the S-bend area, showing major structures and the location of the route and
stops of the excursion. The major structures are modified from Spaggiari (2016).

47
Quentin de Gromard et al.

ne
Zo
2671 ± 5

r
ea
Sh
e
on

m
Da
e arZ

og
n e
Zo Sh

Fr
ear Hill
Sh py 1298 ± 5 ear Zone
er S Dam Sh
s Browns
ra
ault F
ttu pF

e
acu

on
Zone
Jerd 1287 ± 14

Z
1216 ± 21

ar
1466 ± 17

he
ar
1304 ± 7 1310 ± 7

ll S
lee She

Hi
1298 ± 6

s
Nights 1 & 2

on
32°00'

m
5a5b

Sy
Cundee

1283 ± 7
5c Fraser Range
To Norseman 56 km 3 1674 ± 7 1288 ± 3
1202 ± 58 1293 ± 8 1312 ± 8
1670 ± 15 1763 ± 11
1305 ± 15
4 1299 ± 3 1299 ± 6 10
1297 ± 12 Ro
adhTo Ba
1368 ± 12 ous llad
e 3 oni
1292 ± 5 1285 ± 7 4k a
1305 ± 2 m
6 Southern
1267 ± 8 7 Hills
1359 ± 22 1301 ± 6
1304 ± 13 1332 ± 21
1298 ± 12 ne
r Zo
ea
Sh
an
wm
Ne

1297 ± 8

1299 ± 7
1809 ± 8
1198 ± 11
32° 30’ 1695 ± 16
1184 ± 12 1320 ± 8
8 1198 ± 7

1658 ± 26 9
1213 ± 10
1658 ± 26
1213 ± 3
Du
nd

c. 2680
as

1669 ± 12 1168 ± 27 1689 ± 9 1317 ± 7

1205 ± 3
Sh

1161 ± 5
ea

Coramup Sz
rZ
on
e

10 km
122° 30’ *
* 123° 00’
RQ61 30/11/17
Albany–Fraser Orogeny (1225–1140 Ma)
Recherche Supersuite Localities Fold axial trace

Fraser Range Metamorphics

1 Field trip stops Dykes

Field trip route Trend line; interpreted from

Snowys Dam Formation aeromagnetic data
Biranup Orogeny (1710–1650 Ma) Major shear zone U–Pb zircon geochronology
sample (date in Ma)
Woodline Formation Minor shear zone 1695 ± 16 Magmatic crystallization age
Biranup Zone metagranitic unit * *
Reverse shear zone 1298 ± 12 Metamorphic age
Northern Foreland metagranic unit Thrust 1332 ± 21 Maximum depositional age
Eastern Goldfields Superterrane (2960–2600 Ma) Strike-slip shear zone
Eastern Goldfields Superterrane greenstone
* *
Oblique fault, reverse, dextral
Yilgarn Craton (4000–2600 Ma)
Antiform
Yilgarn Craton granites
Synform
Widgimooltha Supersuite

Figure 41. Pre-Mesozoic interpreted bedrock geology of the S-bend area, showing the location of the route and stops of the
excursion. Modified from Spaggiari (2016). Selected published and preliminary GSWA U–Pb zircon geochronology
data are shown.

48
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
At this locality, a continuous exposure alongside a salt lake
is dominated by a medium- to coarse-grained, equigranular
leucocratic, muscovite-bearing monzogranite intruded
by voluminous pegmatite veins. This granite appears to
intrude a folded metasedimentary and garnet-bearing
mafic rock sequence. The metasedimentary rocks consist
of interbedded muscovite-bearing psammitic and pelitic
schists, locally containing ptygmatically folded granite
veins (Fig. 42a,b). The mafic rocks consist of garnet-
bearing, fine-grained, equigranular amphibolite, locally with
layers containing 30% garnet porphyroblasts up to 3 mm.
The monzogranite is weakly to moderately foliated, and
the metasedimentary and mafic lithologies show small-
scale, gently north-plunging, west-verging, recumbent
tight folds overprinted by moderately to steeply east-
plunging, upright, open folds (Fig. 42a,c). In aeromagnetic
data, a series of thin, strongly magnetic horizons define a
north-trending tight to isoclinal fold, with closure to the
north, which appears overprinted by east-trending open
folds (Fig. 40). This observation is consistent with field
observations and suggests that the series of magnetic
highs in the aeromagnetic data consist of folded mafic
layers interlayered with non-magnetic material forming
a regional-scale, north-trending, west-verging anticline,
overprinted by east-plunging, upright open folds.
Microstructural analysis
A garnet-bearing mafic amphibolite from this salt lake
locality displays a strong north-striking axial planar
foliation composed of hornblende, quartz, plagioclase and
titanite (Fig. 43a). Foliation-parallel hornblende typically
hosts fine foliation-parallel inclusions of quartz and
titanite, suggesting growth after the onset of deformation,
but prior to its conclusion. Garnet porphyroblasts
hosting quartz and ilmenite inclusion trails oblique or
subperpendicular to the foliation (Fig. 43b) may represent
the preservation of an older generation of foliation, or
rotation of the porphyroblasts relative to the matrix during
deformation. If a static growth model is considered, this
implies that the dominant north-trending regional-scale
structures are at least second generation. Texturally
younger garnets, and the rims of several garnets containing
oblique core trails, overgrow the matrix foliation. Some
of these are also strongly aligned with the foliation,
suggesting growth prior to the conclusion of deformation.
Hornblende, garnet, quartz and plagioclase largely display
equilibrium textures.
North-striking foliations in the adjacent orthogneisses
are composed of biotite, muscovite, quartz, K-feldspar,
microcline and plagioclase; those in the interlayered
psammitic and pelitic schists are composed of muscovite,
quartz, K-feldspar and microcline (Fig. 43c). Some
irregularly shaped forms of muscovite in the interlayered
psammitic and pelitic schists appear to crosscut
foliation-parallel quartz and feldspar, suggesting that
muscovite growth continued after foliation development.
Microstructural and metamorphic relationships in the
rocks examined along the salt lake shore are consistent
with metamorphism that was largely synchronous with,
but also continued after, development of the north-striking
axial planar foliation.
49
Foliation-forming quartz, plagioclase and microcline in
these rocks have subrounded to irregular lobate grain
boundaries (Fig. 43c) suggesting some growth by grain
boundary migration. Medium to coarse-grained quartz
grains up to 1 mm, some of them wrapped by the foliation,
display sharp prismatic subgrain boundaries and also more
complex subgrain patterns, including possible chessboard
extinction. Quartz and feldspar grain sizes and textures
in the mafic amphibolites, orthogneisses and interlayered
schists suggest that deformation associated with the north-
striking axial planar foliation occurred under amphibolite
facies metamorphic conditions, likely around, or in excess
of, 500°C.
Stop 4: Geology of the Biranup Zone —
Ten Mile Rock: Garnet Ice dimension
stone quarry
This locality displays an excellent exposure of migmatitic,
K-feldspar porphyritic, garnet-biotite monzogranite gneiss
of the Biranup Zone (Figs 40, 41). This rock has been
used as dimension stone and is named Garnet Ice, due to
the appearance of abundant red garnet crystals in a frosty
matrix when the stone is cut (Fig. 44a). A 30 to 70 cm
wide deformed xenolith of greenish quartzofeldspathic
material may represent a metasedimentary remnant
incorporated into the granite protolith (Fig. 44b).
From the previous locality we drove across the northeast-
trending Frog Dam Shear Zone that, in this region,
marks the boundary between the Northern Foreland
and the Biranup Zone (Figs 40, 41). The Biranup Zone
is dominated by Paleoproterozoic, strongly-deformed,
upper amphibolite to granulite facies orthogneiss with
protolith crystallization ages ranging between c. 1815 and
1625  Ma. U–Pb zircon geochronology of granite gneiss
from this locality yielded magmatic crystallization ages of
1670 ± 15 Ma and 1674 ± 7 Ma, and a poorly constrained
metamorphic age of 1202 ± 58 Ma (1σ) (GSWA 83666,
Nelson, 1995b; GSWA 194713, Kirkland et al., 2011e).
The orthogneiss contains a strong, northeast-trending,
steeply southeast-dipping to sub-vertical gneissic fabric
and a poorly defined horizontal to gently plunging
stretching lineation. K-Feldspar porphyroclasts up to 5 cm
show asymmetric strain shadows typically indicating
sinistral shear sense, however, dextral shear sense also
occurs (Fig. 44c). Sub-vertical, north-trending sinistral
shear zones, locally infilled with leucosomes containing
euhedral tourmaline up to 3 cm, affect the main gneissic
layering and may be interpreted as synchronous to the
sinistral shearing event (Fig. 44d,e). However, contrasting
shear senses to those interpreted from porphyroclast
asymmetries and discrete shear bands may be interpreted
from folded leucosomes, with examples of rootless folds
and asymmetric isoclinal folds indicating flattening and
dextral shearing along the main gneissic layering (Fig. 44f).
The quarry contains a vertical cut through the xenolith
(possible metasedimentary raft) showing the complex 3D
structure of the gneiss, and the reversal between dextral
and sinistral shear senses on either side of a seemingly
subhorizontal fold axis indicating that a component of
vertical flattening affected this region (Fig. 44g).
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) a)
Q
Gt
Q

Bi Pl
Gt Bi

Gt
Hb
NE SW 1 mm

b) b)

Gt
Hb

SSW NNE 200 µm

c) c)

Mu

Ksp

Mi

N S 1 mm
MAM14 12.10.17
RQ48 19/09/17

Figure 43. Thin section photomicrographs of rocks along the

Figure 42. Field photographs from Stop 3, Northern Foreland:
a) Gently north-plunging, west-verging tight fold in
psammitic schist; b) ptygmatically folded granite
vein in pelitic schist; c) steeply east-plunging,
upright open fold in garnet-bearing amphibolite.
salt lake at Stop 3: a) Mafic amphibolite containing
abundant garnet porphyroblasts, many of which
have texturally distinct cores and rims; b) close-
up of a garnet porphyroblast with core inclusion
trails that are perpendicular to the surrounding
foliation and rim inclusions that are parallel to it;
c) representative view of quartz and feldspar
textures in a muscovite schist. Abbreviations:
Gt = garnet; Bi = biotite; Mu = muscovite;
Hb = hornblende; Q = quartz; Ksp = K-feldspar;
Mi = microcline. Figures a and b are plane-polarized
light; figure c is cross-polarized light.

50
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

NE SW

c) d)

NNE SSW NE SW

e) f)

NE SW NNE SSW

g)
Figure 44. Field photographs from Stop 4, Garnet Ice
quarry, Biranup Zone: a) Garnet-rich orthogneiss;
b) possible metasedimentary raft preserved in
orthogneiss; c) K-feldspar porphyroclasts in
megacrystic orthogneiss; d) approximately north-
trending sinistral shear band affecting the main
northeast-trending gneissic layering in megacrystic
orthogneiss; e) leucosome infilled sinistral shear
containing large tourmaline in megacrystic
orthogneiss; f) folded leucosomes along north-
trending sinistral shear bands in migmatitic
orthogneiss; g) vertical saw cut within the quarry
showing the complexly deformed metasedimentary
SE NW raft into the megacrystic orthogneiss.
RQ65 11/10/17

51
Quentin de Gromard et al.
Day 2: Fraser Zone, Fraser Shear
Zone, S-bend region
One of the main aims of this day is to examine the
geology of the ‘S-bend’ region (Figs 40, 41). The S-bend
refers to S-fold geometry of the triple junction between
the Biranup, Fraser and eastern Nornalup Zones. This
geometry is particularly evident from aeromagnetic data
that show a full representation of the structural grain
of the region (Fig. 40). The evolution of the S-bend is
constrained by the analysis of sparse outcrops within and
around the S-fold geometry; some of the key outcrops of
which will be visited. Day 2 starts with outcrops of the
Fraser Shear Zone, followed by two localities to examine
the typical lithologies of the western part of the Fraser
Zone, and finally we will visit two outcrops of the Biranup
Zone within the S-bend.
Stop 5: The Fraser Shear Zone
A 15 minute walk takes us through two small exposures
of the Fraser Shear Zone (Stops 5a and b) on our way to
a larger pavement outcrop (Stop 5c). Stop 5a is a good
example of the lithologies of the Fraser Shear Zone.
Stop  5b shows interesting realtionships between folds
and shear zones, and Stop 5c consists of the main outcrop
for this locality, displaying a variety of structures related
to the evolution of the Fraser Shear Zone. In this area
the Fraser Shear Zone is typified by upper-amphibolite
facies mylonitic rocks that mark the boundary between
upper amphibolite facies, dominantly Paleoproterozoic
Biranup Zone gneisses to the west, and Mesoproterozoic,
granulite facies Fraser Zone rocks to the east (Figs 40,
41). The lithologies consist of metasedimentary rocks
of the Snowys Dam Formation (the upper portion of
the Arid Basin, Fig. 9) interlayered with garnet-bearing
amphibolite (Figs 41, 45a,b). The Snowys Dam Formation
is named for the metasedimentary component of the
Fraser Range Metamorphics; a conservative estimate
for its maximum depositional age is 1363 ± 9 Ma, and
metamorphic zircon rims dated at 1298 ± 12 Ma provide
a minimum age for deposition (Spaggiari et al., 2015).
Along the Fraser Shear Zone, these rocks are isoclinally
folded, strongly boudinaged, and migmatitic and locally
intruded by undeformed pegmatite veins (Fig. 45a–c).
The foliation is moderately to steeply east- or southeast-
dipping, and contains a variably plunging stretching
lineation (Fig. 45a– d). A prolonged history of dextral
kinematics is indicated by multiple shear-sense indicators,
such as asymmetric boudins, asymmetric tails around
porphyroclasts, foliation deflection against shear zones and
asymmetric folding (Fig. 45e,f). Twenty-five kilometres
to the south of Stop 5, and along the Fraser Shear Zone,
sinistral kinematics is indicated by asymmetric boudins
or asymmetric tails around porphyroclasts (Fig. 45g,h).
Regional correlations suggest that sinistral predates dextral
kinematics, but more detailed investigation is required to
fully confirm this.
Microstructural analysis
Mafic and felsic gneisses of the Fraser Shear Zone
preserve lower-grade metamorphic histories than
52
the granulites facies metagabbros, metagranites and
sedimentary gneisses of the Fraser Zone. Textural
relationships in several very finely layered mafic gneisses
(eg. Fig. 46a) are consistent with the formation of
approximately upper amphibolite facies hornblende–
clinopyroxene–garnet–plagioclase–quartz ± melt
assemblages that formed approximately synchronously
with the development of the northeast-striking foliation.
Some large clinopyroxene porphyroblasts have partially
overgrown localized melt patches (e.g. Fig. 46b),
suggesting the clinopyroxenes may have been a product
of melt-forming reactions.
Garnet porphyroblasts hosting inclusion trails oblique or
subperpendicular to the surrounding foliation (Fig.  46c)
may preserve an earlier generation of foliation, or,
alternatively, may have rotated relative to the surrounding
foliation during deformation. Others display foliation-
parallel inclusions (Fig. 46c), suggesting growth over the
preserved foliation. Pronounced deflection of the external
foliation around both types of garnet signifies continued
deformation after garnet growth.
Approximately upper amphibolite facies peak assemblages
are variably overprinted by approximately low- to mid-
amphibolite facies, with possibly moderate to high
pressure assemblages that include zoisite, epidote and
texturally-younger hornblende. Reaction textures and
relative timing relationships are consistent with this lower
temperature period of metamorphism commencing in the
late stages of deformation associated with the northeast-
striking mylonitic foliation, but largely post-dating it.
Locally, zoisite and epidote in these rocks form variably
oriented vermicular symplectites (Fig. 46d) with quartz.
Hornblende coronae typically separate clinopyroxene
from garnet, and elsewhere separate clinopyroxene from
zoisite or epidote. Hornblende in coronae replacing peak
metamorphic assemblages commonly forms vermicular
symplectites and typically has bluish-green pleochroism
that is distinct to the greenish-brown displayed by earlier
foliation-forming hornblende (e.g. Fig. 46e), consistent
with growth during lower-temperature conditions.
Although zoisite appears relatively late with respect to
the northeast trending foliation in the finely layered mafic
gneisses described above, in other mafic amphibolites
hornblende and zoisite are strongly aligned with the
foliation (Fig. 46f), suggesting that they grew during
foliation development.
Grain sizes, shapes and subgrain patterns of quartz and
feldspar in both the foliation and deformed veinlets
are consistent with deformation under approximately
amphibolite facies metamorphic conditions in the order of
500°C, but may potentially have been even higher. Despite
some complex subgrain patterns, only one large quartz
grain displays possible chessboard extinction. Local areas
of the matrix have undergone strong static recrystallization
following deformation.
Stop 5a: Lithologies and metamorphism of the
Fraser Shear Zone
This small outcrop on our way to the larger pavement
exposure of the Fraser Shear Zone provides a good
representation of some of the lithologies present within the
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
shear zone. The lithologies at this locality consist of fine-
medium-grained, equigranular quartzofeldspathic gneiss
interlayered with fine- to coarse-grained amphibolite
(Fig. 47a). All contain leucosomes and are garnet-bearing;
some layers are particularly rich in fine-grained garnet
(<1 mm), and some layers contain sparse golf ball size
garnet porphyroblasts. The felsic component consists of
leucocratic, quartzofeldspathic gneiss with 10% garnet up
to 1 mm. Local amphibolite layers are very coarse-grained
and consist of 80% hornblende blasts up to 1.5 cm, garnet
porphyroblasts to 1 cm and leucosomes.
Stop 5b: Isoclinally folded layering overprinted
by shear zones and drag folds
This small exposure shows interesting relationships
between several generations of folding and shearing
events. The northeast-trending isoclinally folded layering
of this interlayered felsic and mafic migmatitic gneiss is
subsequently affected by shear-related folding forming
tight folds with sheared limbs. The shear zones are steeply
north-trending and show apparent dextral kinematics,
as indicated by the drag folding along these shear zones
(Fig. 47b). However, the layers on either side of the
shear zone show apparent sinistral offset indicating
movement along the shear zone must involve a degree
of vertical slip to explain the contradiction between the
dextral shear asymmetry of the drag folds and the sinistral
offset of the layers (Fig. 47b, c). This is supported by the
steep mineral lineation preserved on the main foliation
surfaces; however, it is difficult to identify lineations in the
secondary shears affecting the main fabric.
Stop 5c: Large pavement exposure of the Fraser
Shear Zone
This is the main stop for the Fraser Shear Zone on this
field trip. It consists of a spectacular pavement exposure
of upper amphibolite-facies, interlayered mafic and felsic
gneiss, locally mylonitic to ultramylonitic, commonly
strongly boudinaged and leucosome-rich and showing
tight to isoclinal folds (Fig. 47d–f).
The main foliation is northeast-trending, moderately to
steeply southeast-dipping and contains an ill-defined
moderately to steeply southeast plunging mineral
lineation. The first and easternmost pavement of this
locality shows an example of foliation boudinage within
a mafic dominated layer. Asymmetric boudins (couple
of centimeter in size) are all enveloped by leucosomes
and consistently show apparent dextral shear-sense
on horizontal surfaces (Fig. 47d). Larger scale mafic
boudins up to 1.5 m also show dextral asymmetry.
Garnet-hornblende aggregates, up to 5 cm across, show
asymmetric strain shadows also indicating apparent
dextral shear senses (Fig. 47e). It is difficult to assess here
the vertical slip component suggested by the moderate
to steep mineral lineation within the main fabric, but a
component of right lateral is largely suggested by the
consistent apparent dextral shear indicators on horizontal
surfaces. This northeast-trending and boudinaged main
53
gneissic layering is affected by east-northeasterly
trending mylonitic to ultramylonitic dextral shear zones
that can be traced for over 10 m at this locality: the
ultramylonitic zone is commonly very thin, only a couple
of centimeters wide, with the highest strain zone on the
north-northwestern side.
Fifty meters to the west, this exposure shows well-
preserved folds of different styles but with similar
orientation and interpreted kinematics. These folds are
tight to isoclinal, asymmetric, with steep northeast-tending
axial planes and subvertical fold axes and consistently
indicating apparent dextral shear sense (Fig. 47f). These
folds are interpreted to have developed synchronously to
the main gneissic layering.
Stop 6: Fraser Zone — Gnamma Hill
The purpose of this stop is to examine a metasedimentary
component of the Fraser Range Metamorphics, attributed
to the Snowys Dam Formation (Figs 40, 41).
At this locality, a boulder outcrop at the foot of Gnamma
Hill exposes a matrix supported metaconglomerate,
containing deformed clasts up to 20 cm long of quartzite
pebbles, metapelite and iron-rich metasiltstone in a pelitic
or medium-grained, purple-red quartzofeldpathic matrix,
possibly showing relict cross-beds and soft sediment
folding (Fig. 48a–d). This metaconglomerate unit is
interbedded with white-blue, migmatitic psammitic gneiss
(Fig. 48e,f). Both lithologies contain abundant garnet to
1cm., The psammitic gneiss is migmatitic and contains
visible sillimanite. The gneissic layering in the psammitic
gneiss and the strong foliation in the metaconglomerate
are parallel to the bedding, which is moderately to steeply
east-southeasterly dipping.
Figure 45. (next page) Field photographs of representative
rocks of the Fraser Shear Zone: a) Steeply
dipping, quartzofeldspathic gneiss of the Snowys
Dam Formation interlayered with garnet-rich
mafic amphibolite; b) moderately east-dipping
interlayered lithologies of the Fraser Shear Zone
cut by undeformed 2 to 3 cm wide granitic veins;
c) isoclinally folded, interlayered mafic and felsic
gneiss showing boudinaging and intrusion of a late,
undeformed, pegmatite vein; d) steeply southeast-
dipping foliation containing moderately east-
plunging stretching lineation in interlayered mafic
and felsic gneiss; e) dextral shear band affecting a
boudinaged foliation within metasedimentary rocks
of the Snowys Dam Formation interlayered with
mafic amphibolite; f) thin ultramylonitic shear zone
showing dextral foliation deflection; g) asymmetric
mafic amphibolite boudin showing sinistral shear
sense within psammitic gneiss of the Snowys
Dam Formation; h) asymmetric tails around garnet
porphyroclast interpreted as a δ-clast indicating
sinistral shear sense.
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

SSW NNE N S

c) d)

N S SW NE

e) f)

SSW NNE W E

g) h)

N S N S
RQ54 19/09/17

54
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a)

Hb

Gt

Cpx
5 mm

b)
Hb

Cpx

Q, Ksp + Pl
inclusions
from melt
Gt
5 mm

c) d)
Pl

Zo
Hb

Ep
Gt

2 mm 200 µm

e) f)

Hb
Cpx

Hb2
Hb1

Zo
200 µm 1 mm
MAM9 12.10.17

Figure 46. Thin section photomicrographs of mafic gneisses from the Fraser Shear Zone: a) Fine layering between mafic and
psammitic units; b) clinopyroxene porphyroblast wrapped by the foliation and hosting quartz and feldspar inclusions
from melt; c) relationships between garnet inclusion trails and the surrounding foliation; d) variably oriented late-
stage zoisite and epidote bearing symplectites; e) clinopyroxene separated from earlier hornblende (Hb1) by younger
hornblende bearing symplectite (Hb2); f) zoisite and hornblende assemblages strongly aligned with the foliation in
other mafic amphibolites along the shear zone. Abbreviations: Cpx = clinopyroxene; Hb = hornblende; Gt = garnet;
Zo = zoisite; Ep = epidote; Pl = plagioclase. Figure d is cross-polarized light; all others plane-polarized light.

55
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

NE SW

c) d)

SW NE NE SW

e) f)

NE SW NW SE
RQ49 19/09/17

Figure 47. Field photos from Stop 5, Fraser Shear Zone: a) Garnet-rich, interlayered mafic amphibolite and psammitic gneiss
of the Snowys Dam Formation from Stop 5a; b) and c) drag folds along shear zones cutting migmatitic psammo-
pelitic gneiss of the Snowys Dam Formation interlayered with mafic amphibolite from Stop 5b; d) foliation boudinage
in migmatitic, interlayered, amphibolite and psammitic gneiss, locally showing asymmetric hornblende-garnet
aggregates up to 5 cm; e) asymmetric folds in psammitic gneiss of the Snowys Dam Formation interlayered with
mafic amphibolite.

56
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

NNE SSW NNE SSW

c) d)

NNE SSW N S

e) f)

E W ENE WNW
RQ66 11/10/17

Figure 48. Field photographs of Snowys Dam Formation from Stop 6, Gnamma Hill, southwestern Fraser Zone: a) Asymmetric
quartzite clast in metaconglomerate; b) folded pelitic clasts in metaconglomerate; c) iron-rich metasiltstone clast
in metaconglomerate; d) tightly folded metapelitic horizons in bedded metasedimentary rock; e) and f) migmatitic,
sillimanite-bearing psammitic gneiss.

57
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Microstructural analysis a)
The sedimentary gneisses at Gnamma Hill display Si
granulite facies peak metamorphic assemblages including Si
garnet–sillimanite–biotite–K-feldspar–quartz–ilmenite
with melt. Abundant garnet forms porphyroblasts
up to 1cm that host inclusions of quartz, sillimanite,
biotite and spinel (eg. Fig. 49a,b) and display different Gt
textural relationships with the surrounding foliation. Sp
Some garnets wrapped by the surrounding foliation Bi
host sillimanite and quartz that define inclusion trails
that strike at high angle or subperpendicular to it. These
inclusion trails may represent the preservation of an earlier il
generation of foliation within the garnets that pre-dates the
surrounding north-northeasterly trending structures, or,
alternatively, may reflect rotation of the garnet relative to 500 µm
the surrounding foliation during continued deformation.
Both of these models for development are consistent with b)
their growth relatively early in the deformation history.
Several garnets display inclusions parallel to the foliation
and are also wrapped by it, consistent with growth over
Q
the foliation but prior to the conclusion of deformation.
Others that host foliation-parallel inclusions of quartz have
no appreciable deflection of the surrounding foliation, and
Si
may represent later stage post-deformation growth. As
well as forming inclusions in garnet, sillimanite is also Gt
abundant in the surrounding matrix (Fig. 49c).
Gt
Other rocks in this area contain garnet–pyroxene–quartz–
ilmenite peak metamorphic assemblages that form an
axial planar foliation in the hinges and limbs of cm-scale
north-northeasterly trending isoclinal folds of layering.
These folds correspond to the regional structural grain 1 mm
of this part of the Fraser Zone, and several garnets c)
display asymmetries that record shearing associated with
formation of the axial planar foliation. These textures
are consistent with peak metamorphic conditions being Bi Gt
Q
approximately synchronous with local fold development.
Quartz and feldspar aligned with the north-northeasterly
striking foliation have highly lobate grain boundaries,
suggesting grain boundary migration recrystallization.
Large quartz grains host fine foliation-parallel inclusions
of ilmenite and feldspar and many display well-developed
chessboard extinction patterns. These microstructures are
consistent with deformation associated with the north- Si
northeasterly striking foliation under high temperatures in
excess of approximately 500–550°C.
500 µm
MAM16 17.10.17
Geochronology
A psammitic gneiss sample collected 865 meters north of Figure 49. Key metamorphic textures in the Gnamma Hill
pelitic gneisses: a) Inclusion of spinel in garnet
this location yielded a U–Pb date of 1368 +/- 12 Ma from
porphyroblast; b) prismatic sillimanite as inclusions
detrital zircons, interpreted as the maximum depositional in garnet porphyroblast; c) abundant basal sections
age for the sedimentary protolith (Fig. 39; GSWA of sillimanite in the matrix alongside garnet and
194714, Kirkland et al., 2011f). Rim overgrowths around ilmenite. Abbreviations: Gt = garnet; Si = sillimanite;
detrital zircon cores yielded a date of 1292 +/-  5  Ma, Sp = spinel; Bi = biotite; Q = quartz; Il = ilmenite.
interpreted as the age of high-grade metamorphism
(GSWA 194714, Kirkland et al., 2011f). A leucosome
from this psammitic gneiss was analysed and yielded a
U– Pb date of 1287  +/-  7  Ma, that is within uncertainty
of the metamorphic age obtained for the host (GSWA
194715, Kirkland et al., 2011g).

58
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

N S N S

c) d)

S N N S

e) f)

N S N S
RQ50 28/09/17

Figure 50. Field photographs from Stop 7 and surrounding area of interlayered metagabbroic and hybrid rocks of the
southwestern part of the Fraser Zone: a) North-trending sinistral shear zone affecting garnet-bearing metagabbro;
b) interlayered gabbroic and granitic lithologies typical of the southwestern part of the Fraser Zone; c) tightly folded
layering with northeast-trending fold axial trace; d) northeast-trending granitic vein intruded into interlayered granitic/
gabbroic hybrid rock, in turn intruded by 2 cm wide northwest tending pegmatite vein; e) the granite vein of d) is
itself tightly folded along a north-tending fold axis; f) approximately 10 cm wide, undeformed, granite dyke intruding
strongly foliated and sheared interlayered metagabbro, sampled for geochronology (GSWA 208585).

59
Quentin de Gromard et al.
Metamorphic studies of rocks from around Gnamma Hill
yielded peak metamorphic conditions at c. 1290 Ma of
850 °C and 7–9 kbars for a garnet, K-feldspar, sillimanite,
quartz sample containing biotite, ilmenite and minor spinel
(Clark et al., 2014). These peak metamorphic conditions
are synchronous to the emplacement of gabbroic magmas
of the Fraser Zone at c. 1300 Ma. Cooling below 400 °C
occurred at c. 1260 Ma, as indicated by a Rb–Sr date on
biotite (Fletcher et al., 1991).
Stop 7: Fraser Zone — interlayered
metagabbro and hybrid rocks
This purpose of this stop is to examine the representative
lithologies of the igneous component of the Fraser
Range Metamorphics on the northwestern side of the
Fraser Zone (Figs 40, 41). This locality shows a platform
exposure of moderately foliated, quartz-feldspar phyric,
garnet-rich metagranite/gabbro hybrid. Ovoidal blue
feldspar phenocrysts commonly reach 3 cm, and garnet
porphyroblasts are locally euhedral to 1 cm. The main
fabric consists of a moderate, sub-vertical, northeast-
trending foliation that is locally affected by discrete,
vertical, north-trending sinistral shear zones (Fig. 50a).
A small pavement exposure located 5.8 km of this
location shows fine- medium-grained equigranular
metagabbronorite interlayered with strongly foliated,
feldspar-phyric metagranite/gabbro hybrid (Fig. 50b).
The layering is north-trending and ranges in width from
a couple of centimeters to several tens of centimeters.
While some of this layering may be primary, it is clear
that at least some of the thinner layering is due to fold
transposition, as indicated by preserved fold hinges and
the strongly attenuated fold limbs of tight to isoclinal folds
(Fig. 50c). This folded layering is intruded and crosscut by
granite veins up to 10 cm wide, themselves tightly folded
and preserving an axial planar foliation (Fig. 50d,e). These
veins are in turn intruded by apparently undeformed, 2 cm
wide pegmatite veins (Fig. 50d).
At this locality (Stop 7), an east-trending, 10 cm wide,
garnet-free aplite dyke, crosscuts the foliation and a
sinistral shear in the host and hence postdates deformation
and the metamorphism (Fig. 50f). This dyke was
sampled for U–Pb zircon geochronology and yielded a
preliminary date of 1267 ± 8 Ma, interpreted as the age
of magmatic crystallization (Figs 41, 51; GSWA 208585,
preliminary data). This date provides a minimum age for
the deformation structures of the northwestern side of the
southern Fraser Zone, and is within uncertainty of the
Rb–Sr cooling age of c. 1260 Ma obtained from Gnamma
Hill (see Stop 6).
Stop 8: Biranup Zone, S-bend area —
boudins and fold interference patterns
We have now driven past the southern tip of the Fraser
Zone, and are within the Biranup Zone, along the
northeast-trending axial trace of the S-fold geometry
of the S-bend (Figs 40, 41). The aeromagnetic data
shows complexly folded and refolded magnetic horizons
(Fig. 40), the interpretation of which is briefly discussed
at the end of Stop 9.
60
This locality shows a spectacular exposure of complexly
folded, migmatitic, equigranular, syenogranitic gneiss,
interlayered with mafic amphibolite. The granitic
component consists of quartz, microcline, oligoclase,
dark green-brown hornblende, minor biotite and accessory
zircon, titanite, opaques and apatite. The mafic component
consists of deformed and folded magnetite-rich (plays
up with the compass up to 90°), hornblende-plagioclase
+/- biotite layers. U–Pb zircon analyses of the granitic
component yielded a date of 1695 ± 16 Ma interpreted
as the age of magmatic crystallization of the granite
protolith and a date of 1184 ± 12 Ma from zircon rims and
interpreted as the age of metamorphism (Fig. 39; GSWA
83676A, Nelson, 1995c).
The gneissic layering is northeast-trending and varies from
subvertical to steeply southeast-dipping, local aggregates
of hornblende-biotite show asymmetric tails that may be
interpreted as apparent shear sense indicators (Fig. 52a),
however, opposing shear senses are observed in opposite
limbs of the folded layering. Isoclinal folds are northeast-
trending, upright, gently doubly plunging, with fold
closures both to the northeast and to the southwest locally
displaying eye features, locally refolded (Fig.  52b,c).
Mafic layers are commonly boudinaged in the direction of
the gneissic layering, leucosome patches are particularly
abundant in the mafic boudin necks (Fig. 52d). In the
northern part of the exposure, a series of three gneissic
metagabbroic sub-rounded to elongate bodies up to 4 m
long, probably boudinaged from an originally continuous
metagabbroic layer, are wrapped around by the gneissic
fabric in the surrounding metasyenogranite (Fig. 52e).
These large mafic boudins are internally folded and
boudinaged and contain abundant leucosomes. Folds in the
strain shadows of these boudins, with north-trending axial
traces are either preserved from an early fold generation,
elsewhere reactivated and rotated in the main northeast-
trending fabric or represent local complexities due to
rheological contrasts between the gabbro boudins and the
surrounding granite (i.e. quarter folds). In the vicinity of
these boudins evidence of type 2 fold interference patterns
are present in the granitic gneiss, suggesting that the main
northeast trending folds are second generation folding of
an earlier folding event (Fig. 52f,g).
0.088
208585
1350 3 analyses of 3 zircons
0.086
1300
Pb/206Pb
0.084
0.082 1250
207
0.080 1200
3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5
238
Pb/206Pb
Figure 51. Preliminary U–Pb zircon geochronology result from
an undeformed granite dyke collected at Stop 7
(GSWA 208585).
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

NE SW NE SW

a) b)

NE SW NE SW

c) 20 cm d) 20 cm

NE SW

e) 50 cm

NE SW E W

f) g) 50 cm
RQ51 19/09/17
Figure 52. Field photographs from Stop 8, Mount Andrew Track, of garnet-bearing, migmatitic, interlayered mafic and felsic
orthogneiss: a) Hornblende–biotite–magnetite aggregate with asymmetric tails indicating apparent dextral
shear sense; b) upright fold with gently doubly plunging fold axes showing fold closures to the northeast and
to the southwest; c) doubly plunging fold with fold closures to the northeast and to the southwest refolded
about north-trending upright folds; d) amphibolite boudin with leucosome infilled boudin neck; e) large-scale,
migmatitic, gabbroic gneiss boudin wrapped by the foliation in the metasyenogranite host; f) and g) type 2
fold interference patterns.

61
Quentin de Gromard et al.
Stop 9: Biranup Zone, S-bend area —
folds, shear zones and net-structured
metatexite
This locality shows a spectacular exposure of migmatitic,
garnet-bearing orthogneiss of the Biranup Zone (Figs 40,
41, and 53a). The main fabric consists of a north- to
northeast-trending, subvertical to steeply southeast-
dipping shear fabric infilled with leucosomes and
affecting an earlier gneissic layering (Fig. 53a). Locally,
the orientation of the early gneissic layering lies at
high-angle to the main sinistral shear fabric and trends
northwest; elsewhere, the early gneissic layering lies
at low-angle to the northeast-trending shear fabric and
is strongly mylonitic suggesting the gneissic fabric has
been reactivated and rotated into parallelism with the
north- to northeast-trending shear fabric (Fig. 53a,b). The
leucosomes are commonly bound by mafic selvedges
(Fig. 53b), suggesting in-situ melting, and are emplaced
along the axial planes of northeast-trending isoclinal folds.
Shear senses along the main fabric vary from dextral to
sinistral across fold hinges defined by M-folds. The north-
to northeast-trending shear fabric is locally affected by
north-northwesterly trending, steeply dipping, sinistral
shears and by east- to northeast-trending dextral shears
that propagate out of and back into the main shear fabric.
Both subsidiary sets of shears are infilled with leucosomes
that appear continuous and related to the same migmatitic
event within the dominate shear fabric, suggesting
all shears are synchronous (Fig. 53b). The systematic
orientation of leucosome sets form a net-structured
metatexite migmatite outlining polygonal blocks of
the early gneissic layering, that are internally folded
(Fig. 53b). Some leucosomes with well-preserved mafic
selvedges are subsequently folded and form northeast-
trending isoclinal folds (Fig. 53c). Local ptygmatically
folded pegmatite veins postdating the early gneissic
layering are affected by the main north- to northeast-
trending shear fabric and associated folding event
(Fig.  53d). In the southeastern corner of this exposure,
a northeast-trending ultramylonitic zone, affected by a
discrete shear with apparent sinistral displacement has
been subsequently folded along a northeast-trending
antiform-synform pair containing axial plane leucosomes
(Fig. 53e,f). The fold pair is inclined, northwest-verging,
with steeply southeast-dipping axial plane and gently to
moderately northeast-plunging fold axes.
A possible interpretation is that this location represents
a high-grade, migmatitic, north- to northeast-trending
highly sheared limb of a larger-scale fold affecting an
earlier gneissic layering. This interpretation is consistent
with aeromagnetic data that indicates that this locality is
situated on the northwestern limb of a folded magnetic
horizon, the closure of which is 2.8 km south-southeast of
this location (Figs 40, 41). Magnetic gradients are shallow
towards the northeast and steep toward the southwest,
consistent with the measured northeast-plunging fold
axes. And finally, the northwestern limb of the magnetic
fold is its short limb and its long limb is the southeastern
limb, which is consistent with the northwest-vergence
interpreted from field observations. This locality (Stop 9)
is therefore interpreted as the sheared northwestern limb
62
of a regional-scale, northeast-trending, northwest-verging
antiform. This regional-scale antiform refolds other
magnetic horizons, which have closures to the south
and southwest, that may have been related to the earlier
gneissic fabric, and form a regional-scale Type 2 fold
interference pattern (Figs 40, 41).
From this locality, a monzogranitic gneiss sample yielded
a U–Pb zircon date of 1658 ± 26 Ma interpreted as the
age of magmatic crystallization of the granite protolith
and a date of 1213 ± 10 Ma obtained from seven zircon
rims, interpreted as the age of high-grade metamorphism
(Fig.  41; GSWA 194707, Kirkland et al., 2011c). A
leucosome sample from this monzogranitic gneiss,
yielded a date of 1668 ± 7 Ma, interpreted as inherited
from the granite host, which improves the precision of its
crystallization age, and a date of 1217 ± 22 Ma interpreted
as the age of magmatic crystallization of the leucosome
during metamorphism and migmatization (Fig. 41; GSWA
194708, Kirkland et al., 2011d). This later date is within
uncertainty of the 1213 ± 10 Ma metamorphic age of the
monzogranitic gneiss host and indicate that deformation
within the host occurred at or prior to c. 1215 Ma (GSWA
194708, Kirkland et al., 2011d).
The timing of the second folding event is likely related
to migmatization age of c. 1215 Ma and corresponds to
Stage II of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny and thus post-
dates the emplacement of the c. 1300 Ma Fraser Zone.
This second fold generation likely relates to the latest
stage of evolution of the S-bend and may result from
northwestward thrusting of the Nornalup Zone over the
Fraser and Biranup Zones during the latest stages of
evolution of the Coramup Shear Zone.
Day 3: Newman Shear Zone and
the eastern Nornalup Zone
The purpose of this day is to examine mylonite and high-
strain zones of the Newman Shear Zone, which in this
region forms the boundary between the Fraser and eastern
Nornalup Zones, and to look at magmatic, migmatitic and
structural relationships within outcrops of metagranitic
rocks of the eastern Nornalup Zone. We will travel from
Fraser Range Station to a large exposure at Newman
Rock (Stop 10) along the Eyre Highway, then travel
past Balladonia Roadhouse to examine an outcrop of the
Booanya Suite (part of the 1198–1140 Ma Esperance
Supersuite) at Afghan Rock (Stop 11). We will then drive
for about 250 km southwest along Balladonia Road to
a spectacular coastal exposure of the 1330–1276 Ma
Recherche Supersuite at Rossiter Bay in Cape Le Grand
National Park (Stop 12), and terminate the day at our
overnight stay in Esperance.
Stop 10: Newman Shear Zone —
Newman Rock
The purpose of this stop is to observe mylonite and high-
strain zones related to the formation of the Newman Shear
Zone (Figs 40, 41). The Newman Shear Zone is a major
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

SE NW

c)

SW NE

d)

NW SE E W

e) f)

SW NE NW SE
RQ52 19/09/17

Figure 53. Field photographs from Stop 9, Mount Andrew Track, of migmatitic metatexite orthogneiss: a) Metatexite vein
complex; b) system of northeast-trending dextral shears, locally infilled with leucosomes, and affecting the main,
north-trending, migmatitic gneissic layering; c) tightly to isoclinally folded leucosomes with mafic selvedges;
d) ptygmatically folded granitic vein; e) sinistral shear affecting an ultramylonitic zone exposed on the southeast
corner of this exposure; f) the ultramylonitic zone of e) is tightly folded about northeast-trending upright fold
containing leucosomes infilled in the axial planar foliation.

63
Quentin de Gromard et al.
structure that marks the boundary between the Fraser
and Nornalup Zones, and in this region is defined by a
prominent northeast-trending demagnetization zone that
is about 60 km long in aeromagnetic data (Fig. 40). The
Newman Shear Zone is also defined by a distinct change
in gravity data, from a high (dense) signature related to
Fraser Zone rocks to the west, to a moderate (less dense)
signature related to Recherche Supersuite and Nornalup
Zone rocks to the east (Fig. 28).
Near the southwesternmost part of the demagnetization
zone, a series of platforms, located approximately between
27 and 36 km southwest of Newman Rock, comprise
strongly foliated to mylonitic, coarse-grained, strongly
K-feldspar phyric, garnet-bearing metamonzogranite.
The metamonzogranite contains garnet, biotite and
hornblende in millimetre- to centimetre-scale mafic layers
and clots, and centimetre-scale K-feldspar phenocrysts.
The fabric varies from an S-tectonite to an L-tectonite;
dipping between 75° to the northwest through to vertical
(S-layers), and plunging about 4° to the northeast
(L-rods). Localized S–C fabric and asymmetric K-feldspar
porphyroclasts indicate sinistral kinematics along the main
northeast-trending gneissic layering (Fig. 54a,b). Discrete
shears, propagating out of and back into the main gneissic
layering, show constantly oriented north-northeasterly
trending sinistral shears and east-northeasterly trending
dextral shears (Fig. 54c,d). While the sinistral shears may
be interpreted as low-angle synthetic Riedel shears (R),
the orientation of the dextral shears suggests that these are
not antithetic R’ shears, but more likely formed during
a subsequent ductile shearing event, that reused the pre-
existing northeast-trending fabric. A gneiss sample from
this area has yielded a date of 1297 ± 8 Ma, interpreted as
the age of magmatic crystallization of the monzogranite
protolith and dates of 1701–1604 Ma from four zircon
cores, interpreted as the ages of inherited components
(Fig. 41; GSWA 194711, Kirkland et al., 2012a).
Here at Newman Rock, coarse-grained, K-feldspar
megacrystic (2–5 cm) metagranite is well exposed
as a series of platforms forming a combined sub-
circular exposure of about 650 meters in diameter. This
megacrystic metagranite contains mafic xenoliths up
to 50 cm, northeast-trending microgranite dykes from
10 cm to 1m wide and thin (5 cm) southeast-trending
pegmatite veins. Strain in this metagranite is strongly
partitioned; the fabric progressively varies from weakly
foliated to mylonitic and ultramylonitic at the meter-scale
(Fig. 55a). These high-strain zones are steeply southeast-
dipping to subvertical and are commonly asymmetrical
with the ultramylonitic zone on the northwest side of
the high-strain zone against relatively undeformed
metagranite (Fig.  55a). Stretching lineation is steeply
south- to southwest-plunging, which is in stark contrast
to the subhorizontal stretching lineations of the area
about 35 km to the southwest of here described above.
Shear sense indicators suggest reverse (southeast-side up)
sense of movement. Metagranite in the high-strain zones
has undergone strong grain-size reduction; preserved
64
K-feldspar porphyroclasts within these ultramylonitic
zones show apparent sinistral sense of shear, suggesting
that the main northeast-trending shear zones are reverse
(southeast-side up) with a component of left lateral sense
of movement (Fig. 55b). Subsidiary, 10 cm wide, north-
northeast trending shear zones with apparent sinistral
displacement and east-trending shear zones with apparent
dextral sense of movement may also be interpreted as
R’ and as subsequent dextral shears respectively. One
example shows apparent sinistral offset of a 10 am
wide mafic dyke and of a 10 cm wide garnet-bearing
microgranite dyke along one of the subsidiary 15 cm wide
high-strain zone (Fig. 55c).
Microstructural analysis
Mylonites from discrete northeast-trending shear zones
subparallel to the main penetrative foliation display
varying degrees of grain size reduction. Strongly
developed mylonitic foliations and attenuated foliation-
parallel quartz veinlets wrap around large K-feldspar,
plagioclase and microcline porphyroclasts (Fig. 56a).
Wrapping of the mylonitic foliation and veinlets around
the porphyroclasts displays dominantly southeast-side-up
asymmetry, and some veinlets host feldspar fish displaying
the same asymmetry (Fig. 56b). Quartz within the veinlets
typically displays sharp prismatic subgrain boundaries and
some display chessboard extinction patterns (Fig. 56c).
Patterns of subgrains and newly crystallized grains along
the margins of plagioclase and K-feldspar porphyroclasts
suggest grain size reduction by subgrain rotation and
bulging recrystallization, and several grains are crosscut
by narrow zones of newly recrystallized feldspar and
quartz (Fig. 56d). Many porphyroclasts display a degree
of internal fracturing, along which a few are locally broken
into new grains (Fig. 56e).
Some hornblende and garnet are aligned with the
mylonitic foliation and host a few foliation-parallel
inclusions of quartz and biotite (Fig. 56g,h), demonstrating
amphibolite facies metamorphism following the
onset of mylonitization. Other hornblende and garnet
grains are oriented oblique to the foliation and may
represent younger post-deformation growth. Mylonite
development in the discrete shear zones initiated under
at least amphibolite facies conditions, likely in excess
of 500– 550°C, suggested by chessboard extinction in
deformed foliation-parallel quartz veinlets, myrmekite
development along the margins of feldspar porphyroclasts,
growth of garnet and hornblende over the mylonitic
foliation, and the relatively coarse grain sizes of local
static recrystallization in quartz and feldspar. Higher
temperature deformation was likely followed by a
subsequent lower temperature history, suggested by
sweeping extinctions in feldspars, kinking of twinning in
plagioclase, the localized breakup of a few feldspars into
smaller grains by brittle fracturing, textures suggesting
bulging recrystallization locally along feldspar grain
margins, and localized brittle kinking of biotite.
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

NE SW NE SW

c) d)

WSW ENE E W
RQ55 19/09/17

Figure 54. Field photographs from outcrops of the southwestern end of the demagnetized zone of the Newman Shear Zone:
a) S-C fabric indicating sinistral shear sense along northeast-tending shear planes; b) asymmetric K-feldspar
porphyroclasts indicating sinistral shear sense in strongly foliated, garnet-bearing, biotite hornblende monzogranitic
gneiss; c) and d) north- and east-trending sinistral and dextral discrete shear zones in strongly foliated to mylonitic,
K-feldspar phyric monzogranitic gneiss, interpreted as low-angle synthetic (R) and high-angle antithetic (R’) Riedel
Shears respectively.

Geochronology crystallization age of the main megacrystic granite at

U–Pb zircon data from this megacrystic metagranite has
yielded a date of 1297 ± 12 Ma, interpreted as the age
of magmatic crystallization of the granite and a date of
1798 ± 16 Ma (1σ) from a single zircon core, interpreted
as the age of an inherited component (Fig.  41; GSWA
194783, Kirkland et al., 2012b). The age of this inherited
component is within uncertainty of the interpreted
crystallization age of 1763 ± 11 Ma obtained from
strongly deformed metagranite with an L–S tectonite
fabric, located approximately 300 m to the northeast
and away from the main exposure (Fig. 41; Spaggiari
et al., 2011; GSWA 194784, Kirkland et al., 2012c). The
metagranite represented by GSWA 194784 is different
from the main exposure of megacrystic metagranite
seen here at Newman Rock in that it does not contain
large K-feldspar phenocrysts. The Paleoproterozoic
granite sample GSWA 194784 also yielded a date
of 1305  ±  15  Ma that is within uncertainty of the
Newman Rock, and interpreted as the age of high-
grade metamorphism affecting this rock. Furthermore,
one zircon core from GSWA 194784 yielded a date
of c.  2625  Ma, consistent with Neoarchean heritance
(Kirkland et al., 2012c).
Stop 11: Booanya Suite, eastern
Nornalup Zone
East of Newman Rock and the Newman Shear Zone we
begin a traverse across the eastern Nornalup Zone. Of
note is the distinct change in crustal architecture across
the major shear zone network separating the Biranup and
Nornalup Zones (Coramup Shear Zone and associated
structures, see also Eleven Mile Beach locality below),
into which rocks of the Fraser Zone were emplaced. To
the west and northwest, towards the craton interior, the
architecture is dominated by inversion and a northwest-

65
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

NNE SSW

c)

NE SW NNE SSW
RQ53 19/09/17

Figure 55. Field photos from the Newman Shear Zone at Newman Rock (Stop 10): a) Progressive strain increase from relatively
undeformed strongly porphyritic metagranite at the top of the picture to an ultramylonitic fabric at the bottom of the
picture; b) mylonitic to ultramylonitic zone showing asymmetric K-feldspar porphyroclasts with apparent sinistral
shear sense; c) localized north-northeasterly trending sinistral shear affecting a granitic aplite dyke and a mafic
dyke within strongly K-feldspar phyric monzogranitic gneiss.

vergent fold and thrust belt. To the east and southeast,
southeast-dipping shear zones are still prevalent, but the
influence of voluminous Mesoproterozoic magmatism
of the Recherche and Esperance Supersuites dominates.
These features are evident in large-scale geophysical
imagery, including: deep crustal seismic profiles (Fig. 6),
aeromagnetic images (Figs 29, 57, and 58), and gravity
(Fig. 28). This change in crustal architecture also coincides
with a belt of thickened crust to the west and northwest of
the major shear zone network, determined from passive
seismic data (Sippl et al., 2017a).
Felsic to intermediate intrusive rocks of the Booanya
Suite — part of the 1200–1140 Ma Esperance Supersuite
— are concentrated within an approximately 90 km wide,
northeast-trending belt of generally moderately to strongly
magnetic (Figs 57, 58) and moderate gravity response
intrusions. The belt lies between the Parmango and Tagon
Shear Zones, which on seismic line 12GA-AF1 coincides
with weak to non-reflective crust that in 2D has a funnel
shape and truncates shear zones to the west (Fig. 59).
Although these granitic rocks typically do not exhibit
pervasive foliations, magmatic fabrics are common, and it
is clear from the geophysical data that their emplacement
has been structurally controlled. Hence, they are not
considered ‘post-tectonic’.
Booanya Suite granites are ferroan, range from alkali-
calcic to alkalic, and fall within the within-plate field
on tectonic discrimination diagrams (Smithies et al.,
2015b). They are generally enriched in K2O, TiO2 and
P2O5 compared with the Truslove Suite granites (also of
the Esperance Supersuite), but in particular have strong
enrichments in LREE that distinguish them from all other
granite groups of the Albany–Fraser Orogen. They are
characteristic of a specific type of A-type magmatism
that results through very high temperature melting
of anhydrous lower crust, likely in association with a
significant juvenile mantle input, suggestive of elevated
crustal temperatures associated with significant crustal
extension (Smithies et al., 2015b).

66
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a)

Gt
Ksp
Hb

Pl
Mi

5 mm

b) c)

Bi
Gt
Q

1 mm 200 µm

d) e)

1 mm 1 mm

f) g)

Q
Gt
Gt
Bi

Hb

Hb

Pl 500 µm 1 mm
MAM11 17.10.17

67
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Figure 56. (opposite) Thin section photomicrographs of mylonitized metamonzogranites from northeast-trending
discrete shear zones within the Newman Shear Zone: a) broad view of typical mylonite with large feldspar
porphyroclasts; b) southeast-side-up asymmetries in deformed veinlet and hosted feldspar fish; c) chessboard
extinction pattern in quartz within deformed foliation-parallel veinlet; d) zone of newly recrystallized
quartz and feldspar crosscutting large feldspar porphyroclast; e) plagioclase porphyroclast fractured into
new smaller grains; f) hornblende with foliation-parallel inclusions overgrowing the mylonitic foliation;
g) garnet and hornblende overgrowing the mylonitic foliation. Abbreviations: Hb = hornblende;
Gt = garnet; Pl = plagioclase; Q = quartz; Bi = biotite; Ksp = K-feldspar; Mi = microcline.

11 Field trip stops

Ey
re
Hw Field trip route
y
Other roads

Major shear zone

32°20' Minor shear zone

Stop 11
Thrust

Dip

Strike-slip shear zone

Fold axial trace

Balladonia Road

10 km

32°40'S

123°40' 124°00'E
CS300 30/11/17

Figure 57. Aeromagnetic image of the area around Stop 11, showing the distinctive strong magnetic signature (warm colours,
with red as highest) of the iron-rich Booanya Suite intrusions. Afghan Rock is clearly part of one such intrusion.
Black lines are shear zones or faults, pink lines are fold axial traces.

68
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

Biranup
SZ eastern Nornalup Zone

11
Zone
up

op
m

st
ra
Co

to
ne
ne

Zo
Zo

Fm
ar
ar

e
e
c.1321

MR
Sh
Sh
eastern Nornalup

an
Zone
e
yn

wm

m
e

ne

MRF
Ch

Ne

Zo
c.1299
d–

c.1175 Ma

r
oo

ea
hear Zon
Scott Rock
yw

33°30'

Sh
He

da
ran

MR Fm
c.1327 c.1314

Tagon S
Ju
SZ
go

m
an

MRF
rm
Pa

c.1323
Z
aS
Seismic line 12G A-A F1 d ell
r ing
Da
Stop 13
c.1172 Point Malcolm

ne
SZ
MM
e
on

Zo
rZ
orin
h ea

ar
in S

he
Wharton
n c.1330 nkl
Bebe
Fra

aS
c.1334
Stop 12 c.1308

on
Cape Pasley
c.1195

od
c.1329 c.1337

R
c.1190 34°00'S
e

st
on

c.1323

Ea
Cape Arid
rZ
ea
Sh
on
g
Ta

MADURA
ALBANY–FRASER OROGEN PROVINCE
122°30' 123°00' 123°30'E
CS301 20 km 30/11/17

Locality U–Pb zircon geochronology Minor shear zone Antiform

sample (date in Ma)
1 Field trip stops Seismic survey Thrust Synform
Field trip route Major shear zone Strike-slip shear zone Fold axial trace

Figure 58. Aeromagnetic image and major structures of the southern part of the eastern Nornalup Zone, south of Stop 11,
between seismic line 12GA-AF1 and Point Malcolm (Day 4). Booanya Suite intrusions are concentrated within a
northeast-trending belt between the Parmango Shear Zone and the Tagon Shear Zone. The northwest-trending
magnetic dykes are the Beenong Dyke Suite, and of unknown age, and the west-northwest-trending magnetic dykes
are the Nindibillup Dyke Suite, dated at c. 735 Ma (GSWA 199035, preliminary data). The coastline is shown by the
white line. The green hexagons show the localities of dated samples of the Recherche and Esperance Supersuites.
MM, Malcolm Metamorphics; MRFm, Mount Ragged Formation.

Afghan Rock West of the track the outcrop is also dominated by

Afghan Rock comprises large, sloping platforms of
granitic rocks on either side of the track. East of the
track the outcrop is dominated by magmatically foliated,
K-feldspar porphyritic to megacrystic monzogranite to
syenogranite with sparse inclusions of quartz diorite or
monzodiorite. The magmatic fabric has a trachytic texture
and mostly trends between 110° and 120°, and locally
there are subparallel small mafic enclaves and schleiren.
Sparse, fine-grained granite veins about 20–30 cm wide,
with their own internal fabric, cut the magmatic fabric.
Minor, cm-scale north-northeast-trending sinistral
mylonite zones cut the magmatic fabric (Fig. 60a).
magmatically foliated, K-feldspar porphyritic to
megacrystic monzogranite to syenogranite, but there are
also large areas of fine- to medium-grained, biotite-quartz-
diorite or monzodiorite with sparse euhedral K-feldspar
phenocrysts to 1 cm. Mafic minerals comprise biotite and
hornblende, and titanite and probable magnetite occur
locally. The diorite/monzodiorite is veined (locally net-
veined) and engulfed by the monzogranite/syenogranite
(Fig. 60b). Contacts are typically lobate (Fig. 60c).
The monzogranite/syenogranite veins have variable
thicknesses, and exhibit the same trachytic magmatic
fabric as the major part of the exposure, although they
pond locally.

69
Quentin de Gromard et al.

W E
CDP 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
0

5
Two-way time (s)

10

15

12GA-AF1
20
ALBANY– FRASER OROGEN

NORNALUP ZONE

Parmango Shear Zone ìRE-xmgn-mg Tagon SZ ìEp-g

ìEp-g ìmo
Bur ìmo
det He
t yw
Cora
mup Sh ood - ìEp-g
Rid ea Ch
ley S hea r eyn
r Zo e
ðmg-BR ìod Zo
ne Sh
ear ìRE-xmgn-mg
Red Shea
r n e Zo
Isla
20 nd Z one ne
Shear Doombup
Zone Shear Zone
Depth (km)

Yarraquin Seismic Province ìjmgnn-mog-NR

Gunnadorrah Seismic Province

40 Upper mantle

12GA-AF1
60
CS198 27.09.17
20 km
Biranup Zone Dyke or sill
ARCHEAN – PROTEROZOIC

ìod Dolerite dyke, sill, or plug

ðmgBR Metagranitic rocks dominant Form line
Esperance Supersuite
Fault or shear zone
Granitic rock
PROTEROZOIC

ìep-g
Gunnadorrah Seismic Province Geological boundary
Recherche Supersuite
ìRE- Yarraquin Seismic Province Base regolith/Cenozoic
xmgn-mg Granitic gneiss and metagranite
Mafic/ultramafic
Nornalup Zone Lower crustal non-reflective zone
ìjmgnn- Granitic gneiss interlayered Granite
mogNR with metagabbro Upper Mantle Moho
ìmo Metamafic intrusive rock

Figure 59. Seismic profile 12GA-AF1, showing the migrated seismic image with interpreted linework (upper) and
solid geology (lower). After Spaggiari et al., 2014c.

70
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

c) d)

200 µm

e)

1 mm
CS308 30/11/17

Figure 60. Photographs and photomicrographs of Afghan Rock: a) North-northeast-trending mylonite zone showing sinistral
drag of the magmatic fabric into the shear zone; b) diorite/monzodiorite engulfed by monzogranite/syenogranite,
locally showing net-vein complex textures; c) typical lobate contacts between the two intrusive phases; d) gradational
subgrain boundaries in quartz in quartz-diorite sample GSWA 216321; e) cross-polar photomicrograph showing
weak alignment of hornblende and plagioclase in quartz-diorite sample GSWA 216321.

71
Quentin de Gromard et al.
The diorite/monzodiorite has a moderate to strong internal
fabric (S1) defined by aligned biotite and hornblende
trending approximately 085°. The monzogranite/
syenogranite veins are locally subparallel to this fabric,
as are elongate felsic blebs, trending about 095° to110°,
but they also locally transgress the S1 fabric. It is not
clear whether the S1 fabric in the diorite/monzodiorite
records an earlier deformation event, or whether it is also
a magmatic fabric, now partially recrystallized. In thin
section (GSWA 216321) there is evidence of undulatory
or sweeping extinction, and several grains show relatively
sharp subgrain boundaries, some parallel to the prism
plane (Fig. 60d). However, there is no evidence for
substantial dynamic recrystallization of quartz, nor
preferred shape orientations of plagioclase and hornblende
(Fig. 60e). It is likely that the fabric was initially
magmatic, and subsequently weakly overprinted, perhaps
during intrusion of the monzogranite/syenogranite.
The megacrystic monzogranite/syenogranite with the
older diorite/monzodiorite define a net-vein complex,
potentially with a syn-magmatic ‘cognate’ (hot-in-hot)
relationship. Geochemical analysis of samples from
Afghan Rock (GSWA 216321 and 216322, diorite/
monzodiorite; GSWA 216323, syenogranite) indicate that
the granitic rocks belong to the Booanya Suite, consistent
with the distinctive strong magnetic signature (Fig. 57).
Magmatic fabrics are typical in Booanya Suite granites
and their orientations closely match those visible in the
aeromagnetic data. Magnetic susceptibility readings are
also typically moderate to high (average of 6123 x 10-5
on diorite sample 216321; 6509 x 10-5 on diorite sample
216322; 2154 x 10-5 on syenogranite sample 216323).
These features, and the felsic to intermediate compositions
explain the observed magnetic and gravity responses.
Stop 12: Rossiter Bay — net vein
complex
Rossiter Bay lies on the eastern side of a group of
headlands within Cape le Grand National Park (Fig. 61).
These headlands are dominated by several phases of
granitic rocks, and volumetrically lesser amounts of
gabbroic rocks. The rocks lie in the footwall of the
Parmango Shear Zone, interpreted to be dominated
by metagranites of the Recherche Supersuite, but also
containing numerous intrusions of Esperance Supersuite
(Fig. 58). The area is dominated by moderate to strong,
northeast-trending magnetic anomalies, which lie
subparallel to the Parmango Shear Zone. Locally, strong
magnetic anomalies crosscut these trends, and are
interpreted to represent intrusions of the Booanya Suite
(Figs 58, 61).
The rocks at Rossiter Bay headland are similar to
others elsewhere along the cape, however it is difficult
to correlate phases based on field relationships alone.
Because of this, the geological subdivisions on seismic
line 12GA-AF1 remain very general. Several samples have
been collected for geochronology and geochemistry, and
the results demonstrate the complexities of interpreting
both datasets in this type of setting (see below). Rossiter
Bay headland is an excellent locality to observe
72
metagranodiorite, porphyritic metamonzogranite and
pods of metagabbro in a net-vein complex, where the
different phases have lobate or veined magmatic intrusive
contacts, including back-veining, and small to large pods
of one phase preserved within another. These textures are
interpreted to result from processes occurring within, or
related to, a magma chamber (Fig. 62). Throughout the
cape there are no mingling or in situ melting textures, such
as those typical of migmatites. At Rossiter Bay headland
mafic pods range from about 4 cm to 30 cm within the
porphyritic metamonzogranite, and small mafic pods also
occur within the metagranodiorite. Some larger mafic pods
within the metagranodiorite contain a folded foliation
defining folds of about 1 m wavelength, but the folds
are truncated by the metamonzogranite and pegmatite
(Fig. 62b).
Both felsic phases and the mafic pods are strongly
magnetic. Magnetic susceptibility readings range from
about 500 to 6500 x 10-5 SI, with most towards the higher
end of the range. The mafic pods are about 2000 to
3000 x 10-5 SI.
Field relationships and geochronology of
granites at Cape le Grand
Coarse late pegmatite that also forms part of the veining
around the metagranodiorite was sampled from Rossiter
Bay headland for geochronology (GSWA 194842;
preliminary data). Zircon rims yield a weighted mean
206
Pb/ 207 Pb age of 1195 ± 11 Ma (MSWD = 1.8),
tentatively interpreted as the age of igneous crystallization,
placing the pegmatite within the age range of the
Esperance Supersuite. However, the dataset also contains
a group of zircon cores that yield a concordia age of
1310  ±  9 Ma (MSWD = 1.3), tentatively interpreted
as the age of an inherited component. An alternative
interpretation is that the older component represents the
age of igneous crystallization, placing the pegmatite within
the age range of the Recherche Supersuite, and that the
younger rims represent a later phase of metamorphism.
Similar ages have been previously recorded in this area
(Fig. 61).
At Thistle Cove headland, west of Rossiter Bay, the
oldest phase is a metagranodiorite to metamonzogranite,
similar to that at Hellfire Bay farther west. It has a
moderate to strong foliation cut by sheets of equigranular
metamonzogranite. The metamonzogranite is weakly-
foliated at Thistle Cove headland, but elsewhere along
the cape locally has a stronger foliation. Both phases
are intruded by coarse pegmatite. The strain is lower
at Thistle Cove headland than to the west, and some of
the metamonzogranite is unfoliated. Both phases are
moderately magnetic at this locality, with magnetic
susceptibility readings ranging from about 300 to
2400  x  10 -5 SI, and with most between 1000 and
2000  x  10-5 SI. There is a mafic dyke trending 080°
that intruded the metamonzogranite and is cut by the
pegmatite.
Two samples have been dated from Thistle Cove
headland. GSWA 194839 is the equigranular, weakly
foliated metamonzogranite, represented by GSWA
 Seismic line 12GA-AF1
SZ
he yne 12 Field trip stops
od-C
wo

Z
Hey
Field trip route

bup S
U–Pb zircon
GSWA Record 2017/14

geochronology

Doom
sample

oS
(date in Ma)

ang
Seismic survey

m
Par
Major shear zone
Minor shear zone
Strike-slip
shear zone
Antiform
SZ
go
an
arm
P

73
5 km

Stop 12
Parmango SZ

1195 ± 11

1321 ± 9 1200 ± 11 34°00'S

SZ
go

1190 ± 10
an

1323 ± 5
rm
Pa

122°00' 122°30'E
CS302 17/10/17

Figure 61. Aeromagnetic image and structural interpretation overlain with semi-transparent topographic map of the Cape le Grand area, and localities of dated granitic rocks in this area
(green hexagons).
SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

c) d)

CS222a 27.09.17

Figure 62. Photos of magmatic rocks along the south coast east of Esperance, interpreted to be part of a Mesoproterozoic
magma chamber imaged in seismic line 12GA-AF1: a) pods of mafic material with variable fabric development
entrained in granite; Thomas River headland, Cape Arid NP, b) folded mafic pod in net-veined metamonzogranite
and metagranodiorite; Rossiter Bay headland, c) complex intrusive and fabric relationships in mafic enclaves
within felsic magmatic rocks showing early fabric in inner mafic enclave (center), entrained within a mafic enclave,
overprinted by net-veining from the felsic host; Wharton Bay headland, d) detail of early crenulated mafic enclave
enclosed in younger deformed granite gneiss; Thomas River headland, Cape Arid NP. Note the difference in fabric
orientation.

194840, that crosscuts the more strongly foliated
metagranodiorite to metamonzogranite. Although
similar to the metamonzogranite at Hellfire Bay (see
below), GSWA 194839 yielded a date of 1190 ± 10 Ma,
interpreted as the magmatic crystallization age of
the monzogranite. However, it includes an inherited
component dated at 1302 ± 17 Ma, so is similar to the
dates from Rossiter Bay (GSWA 194842). The older
metagranodiorite to metamonzogranite, based on field
relationships, yielded a date of 1200 ± 11 Ma, interpreted
as the crystallization age of the monzogranite (GSWA
194840, Wingate et al., 2016e). The sample also yielded an
inherited zircon component, dated at 1324 ± 9 Ma. If these
interpretations are correct, the magmatic crystallization
ages indicate both phases belong to the Esperance
Supersuite. Geochemical analysis of both dated samples
from Thistle Cove headland indicated they belong to the
Southern Hills Suite of the Recherche Supersuite, which
is not supported by interpretations of the geochronology
data placing these rocks in the age range of the Esperance
Supersuite.
At Hellfire Bay, west of Thistle Cove headland (Fig. 61),
sparsely porphyritic metamonzogranite, interpreted as
the oldest phase based on field relationships, yielded an
interpreted magmatic crystallization date of 1323 ± 5 Ma,
and a metamorphic date of 1187 ± 8 Ma (GSWA 194836,
Wingate et al., 2016d). Geochemical analysis places this
phase into the Gora Hill Suite of the Recherche Supersuite
(Smithies et al., 2015b), consistent with the geochronology
results. A second sample of metamonzogranite, interpreted
as younger based on field relationships, yielded an
interpreted magmatic crystallization date of 1321 ± 9 Ma
(GSWA 194838, preliminary data; inheritance grain
1764 ± 11 Ma). This sample has similar geochemistry,
suggesting the two phases were coeval, which is
consistent with the geochronology. Small, east-northeast-
trending dextral shear zones cut the foliation and contain
pegmatite, which could be interpreted as similar to that
represented by GSWA 194842 from Rossiter Bay headland
(1195  ±  11  Ma). There is also a late, very coarse pink
pegmatite with quartz veins that trends north-northwest,
and crosscuts all other features.

74
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
These data, and the field relationships, exhibit the complex
nature of these magmatic rocks. They also indicate that
deformation, as preserved at the outcrop scale, is likely
to have been punctuated by phases of magmatism.
The geochronology results suggest repeated magmatic
channelling, perhaps into large structural corridors,
throughout both Stages 1 and II of the Albany–Fraser
Orogeny. It also suggests repeated deformation during
magmatism. Early deformation is recorded to the east, at
Thomas Fishery (Cape Arid National Park), where folded
granitic veins in porphyritic metamonzogranite are cut by
1329 ± 10 Ma granite dykes that trend 165°, perpendicular
to the folds (GSWA 194864, preliminary data). Pegmatite
sheets have intruded the metamonzogranite along the axial
planes of these folds, and have been dated at 1337 ± 7 Ma
(GSWA 194863, preliminary data). These folds have
gently to moderately, south-southeast-dipping axial
surfaces and are asymmetric, with tectonic vergence and
locally S-C fabric indicating top to the north-northwest, or
north to north-northeast.
Our current tectonic model for the magmatism that
produced the Recherche Supersuite is one of delamination
due to gravitational instability, following the accretion
of the Loongana oceanic arc primarily along the Rodona
Shear Zone (Fig. 26b). This model is based on several
factors, including the non-subduction-like geochemistry
of the magmatic rocks, apparent age younging from
c. 1330 Ma in the southeast to c. 1280 Ma in the northwest,
and an abrupt diversion in Sm-Nd isotope data that
indicates the presence of overthrust Madura Province in the
easternmost granites at c. 1330 Ma (Smithies et al., 2015b).
Day 4: Day trip from Esperance to
Point Malcolm via Cape Arid NP
Stop 13: Point Malcolm — Arubiddy
Ophiolite Complex
The route to Point Malcolm follows seismic line 12GA-
AF1 along Fisheries Road, which ends at the entrance
to Cape Arid National Park (Figs. 59, 63). From there a
sandy track continues east across an extensive, undulating
sandy plain where unique flora and fauna are found,
part of the globally recognized biodiversity hotspot that
extends along the south coast of Western Australia. This
sandy regolith and thick vegetation covers basement rocks
of the eastern Nornalup Zone, which are intruded by
dominantly granitic rocks of the Recherche and Esperance
Supersuites. These rocks are exposed along the coast east
of Esperance. Inland, jagged peaks of the Ragged Range
rise steeply above the plain. These are remnants of the
Ragged Basin, which comprises the fluvial to shallow
marine quartzite and psammitic schist of the Mount
Ragged Formation. These are the youngest recognized
metasedimentary rocks of the Albany–Fraser Orogen,
and have a maximum depositional age of 1314 ± 19 Ma
(Waddell et al., 2015). The Mount Ragged Formation
is floored by and contains a series of northwest-vergent
thrust faults that are cut by Esperance Supersuite granite
dated at 1175 ± 12 Ma (Scott Rock, Figs 58, 63),
75
providing a minimum age for deposition and structural
emplacement and indicating the possibility that deposition
commenced during the latter part of Stage I of the Albany–
Fraser Orogeny (Waddell et al., 2015).
Point Malcolm is the easternmost coastal exposure before
the coastline turns to the northeast, forming Israelite Bay.
This is the only onshore exposure of rocks associated with
the Rodona Shear Zone, which marks the suture between
the Albany–Fraser Orogen and the Madura Province
(Figs 1, 58, and 63). The purpose of Stop 13 is to explore
the Malcolm Metamorphics at Point Malcolm (Fig. 64),
and the large variety of deformation textures. If time
and access permits we will also view additional coastal
outcrops of the Malcolm Metamorphics about 6 km to the
southwest.
Malcolm Metamorphics
The Malcolm Metamorphics are exposed on coastal
platforms from Cape Pasley through to Point Malcolm
(Figs 63, 64; Clark, 1999; Clark et al., 2000) within an
approximately 40 km long, 8 km wide northeast-trending
fault-slice. They are interpreted to be bound to the
northwest by the southeast- to east-dipping Daringdella
Shear Zone, and to the southeast by the Franklin Shear
Zone, interpreted as a splay off the East Rodona Shear
Zone (Figs 58, 63; Spaggiari, 2016). The Rodona Shear
Zone marks the boundary and suture zone between the
Madura Province and the Albany–Fraser Orogen, and has
been interpreted as a broad, southeast-dipping shear zone
network (Fig. 6; Spaggiari and Occhipinti, 2015).
The Malcolm Metamorphics comprise psammitic,
semipelitic and pelitic schist (Fig. 65a) interlayered
with fine-grained laminated metabasalt and calc-silicate
rocks. The pelitic schist is typically migmatitic, and
has mesosomes containing biotite–quartz–K-feldspar–
plagioclase – garnet ± muscovite, spinel, and locally
sillimanite, and leucosomes dominated by quartz and
K-feldspar (Clark, 1999; Adams, 2012). Semipelitic
to psammitic schists are dominated by assemblages
of quartz–K-feldspar–plagioclase–biotite and are also
migmatitic (Adams, 2012). Peak metamorphism of these
rocks is estimated at about 750°C and 4 kbar (Clark et al.,
2000).
The maximum depositional age of the sedimentary
component of the Malcolm Metamorphics has recently
been revised based on two samples of psammitic (GSWA
207001) and semipelitic schist (GSWA 194867). Both
samples contained single zircon cores that yielded
207
Pb/206Pb dates of 1414 ± 36 Ma (1σ; GSWA 207001)
and 1415 ± 16 Ma (1σ; GSWA 194867), interpreted
as a maximum age of deposition (Fig. 66; preliminary
data). Together, these data greatly improve the previously
defined maximum depositional ages of c. 1560 Ma
(GSWA 112128, Nelson, 1995a) and the c. 1450 Ma
upper intercept age of Adams (2012). The major detrital
zircon age components in the two samples agree to within
uncertainty and provide a mean age of c. 1470 Ma for the
dominant detrital component in the succession (Fig. 66;
preliminary data).
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Fm
MR
1321 ± 10
U–Pb zircon geochronology
sample (date in Ma)
ALBANY–FRASER OROGEN Major shear zone
Fm
MR

eastern Nornalup Zone Minor shear zone

1175 ± 12 Thrust
Esperance SS Strike-slip shear zone
33°30'
Nornalup Zone basement
Synform
intruded by Recherche SS
Fold axial trace

1314 ± 21
m

10 km
MRF

ne
r Zo
ea
1323 ± 6 Sh
n
kli
an
Fr

e
on

one
rZ

earZ Point Malcolm

ea

la Sh
Sh

el
ringd ics
na

Da o rph
do

etam
Ro

M
colm
Mal MADURA
PROVINCE

Cape Pasley

Esperance SS 34°00'S

123°30' 124°00'E
CS303 17/10/17

Figure 63. Reduced-to-pole aeromagnetic image overlain by semi-transparent 1: 250 000 interpreted bedrock geology of the
region surrounding Stop 13 (Spaggiari, 2016). The coastline is shown by the blue line. The green hexagons show the
localities of dated samples of the Recherche and Esperance Supersuites. MRFm, Mount Ragged Formation.

76
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
123° 45’20"
Stop 13
CS313 200 m
Figure 64. Arial photograph of the Point Malcolm coastal platform, which is dominated by metasedimentary rocks. The dark area
in the central area is dominated by metabasalt, and pale crosscutting granite veins or pegmatite are also visible.
The metabasalt is dark grey to black with thin pale
laminations (Fig. 65b), but locally contains strongly
altered horizons comprising green calc-silicate rocks
(Fig.  65c). Metabasalt accounts for up to 50% of
the outcrop towards the southwest, whereas the
metasedimentary rocks are dominant towards the northeast
(Clark, 1999). The metabasalt contains the assemblage
green-brown hornblende–clinopyroxene–plagioclase–
ilmenite ± biotite, titanite, epidote, garnet, anthophyllite,
and quartz (c.f. Clark, 1999). Clinopyroxene is mostly
overgrown by hornblende, which can be very strongly
pleochroic (brown–olive green–blue-green) and the
fine pale layers are dominated by plagioclase. Garnet is
restricted to small layers and pods of metasedimentary
rocks within the metabasalt. The calc-silicate rocks are
volumetrically minor, occur as pods or layers, and contain
the assemblage garnet–quartz–clinopyroxene–plagioclase
± epidote, calcite, hornblende, wollastonite, clinozoisite,
with accessories titanite and magnetite, and locally pyrite
and chalcopyrite (Clark, 1999). Within a low strain zone at
Cape Pasley, sharp curved contacts and angular fragments
of basalt within metasedimentary rock (Clark, 1999) are
suggestive of pillow basalts intruded into wet sediments
forming hyaloclastite.
77
123° 45’40"E
33° 47’40"
33° 48’00"S
11/10/17
Whole-rock geochemical analysis of the metabasalt
indicates they are low-Ti, tholeiitic, subduction-modified
N-MORB basalts. On a Th/Yb vs. Nb/Yb plot (e.g. Pearce,
2008; Fig. 67) they lie on a trend with gabbroic rocks
of the Haig Cave Supersuite, which are interpreted as
part of the Loongana oceanic arc (Spaggiari et al., 2015;
Kirkland et al., 2017). These rocks are a component of
the Arubiddy Ophiolite Complex, which is part of the
Madura Province (Table 1; Spaggiari et al., 2017c). The
Arubiddy Ophiolite Complex has been defined from
detailed analysis of drillcores and geophysical data from
the Eucla basement (Fig. 3; Spaggiari and Smithies, 2015;
Spaggiari et al., 2016b, 2017c). It includes a continental
margin ophiolite containing metabasalts of E-MORB
character and associated metasedimentary rocks related
to formation of a continental marginal basin, recording
c. 1950–1500 Ma rift tectonism along the craton margin. A
change to convergence and c. 1415–1389 Ma intra-oceanic
subduction is recorded by the presence of an oceanic
arc succession of metamorphosed gabbro, peridotite,
oceanic plagiogranite, and adakite (Haig Cave Supersuite;
Spaggiari et al., 2015; Smithies et al., 2015d), and
subduction-modified N-MORB metabasalts and associated
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

c) d)

CS309 11/10/17

Figure 65. Photographs of the Malcolm Metamorphics: a) folded migmatitic layering in metasedimentary rocks. The hammer
head points north; b) chevron-folded, laminated metabasalt; c) folded calc-silicate layering within metabasalt;
d) refolded fold in interlayered metasedimentary and basalt schist.

0.10
a) 1600
194867 0.11 b) 207001
31 analyses of 27 zircons 32 analyses of 29 zircons

1550
0.10
1500
Pb/206Pb

Pb/206Pb

1550

0.09 0.09
1400
1400
207

207

1300
1350
0.08
1200
1300
1100
1250
0.07
0.08
3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5
238
Pb/206Pb 238
Pb/206Pb
CS311 17/10/17

Figure 66. Preliminary U–Pb analytical data for zircons from Malcolm Metamorphics samples: a) 194867 and b) 207001. Blue square
indicates youngest detrital zircon; red squares indicate older detrital zircons; green diamonds indicate metamorphic
zircon rims; crossed squares indicate excluded data (discordance >5% or core–rim mixture). Error bars are 1-sigma.

78
 GSWA Record 2017/14

Table 1. Summary of units defining the Arubiddy Ophiolite Complex.

Fore-arc or intra-arc Fore-arc or intra-arc Distal to the east; separated by

Continental marginal basin Oceanic-arc (Loongana Arc)
(Loongana Arc) (Loongana Arc) the Loongana Arc

Unit Pinto Basalt Sleeper Camp Formation Malcolm Metamorphics Haig Cave Supersuite Narilya Bore Basalt

Lithologies Metabasalt Laminated to layered
sedimentary schist including
iron-rich and Mn-rich layers;
mafic schist; metabasalt and
layered volcaniclastic schist
Interlayered laminated
metabasalt, calc-silicate, and
pelitic to psammitic schists;
pillows and hyaloclasite or
autobreccia
Mafic cumulate tholeiitic gabbros Fine-grained, variably layered
and peridotite, intruded by to laminated, locally foliated
trondhjemitic plagiogranite; metabasalt
adakite

79
Age constraints Between 1950 and 1389 Ma <1538 Ma Between 1415 and 1315 Ma 1415–1389 Ma >1144 Ma

Igneous geochemistry E-MORB to OIB basalt Subduction-modified N-MORB Subduction-modified N-MORB Intrusive oceanic-arc tholeiites Subduction-modified N-MORB
basalt basalt and plagiogranite; adakite basalt; mixed primitive-arc
magma source
Estimated peak metamorphic Lower amphibolite to amphibolite; Amphibolite; <1538 Ma Upper amphibolite to granulite; Lower amphibolite; <1415 Ma Upper amphibolite to lower
facies and timing likely c. 1389 Ma; >1180 Ma c. 1315 Ma granulite; pre- or syn- c. 1144 Ma
SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
Quentin de Gromard et al.
10
melting of modified
mantle wedge Narilya Bore
Basalt
1
Th/Yb
ay
arr
0.1 -O
IB
RB
subduction
addition
MO
N-MORB
0.01
0.1 1.0
CS316 Nb/Yb
Pinto Basalt
Pinto Basalt (high-Mg)
Narilya Bore Basalt
Sleeper Camp Formation
Malcolm Metamorphics basalt
Figure 67. Log Th/Yb vs. Nb/Yb diagram after Pearce (2008)
for mafic rocks of the Madura Province.
metasedimentary rocks, which includes the succession at
Point Malcolm. Arc-continent collision led to obduction
of the arc and fore-arc regions over the passive continental
margin between 1390 and 1330 Ma, triggering Stage I of
the Albany–Fraser Orogeny (Smithies et al., 2015b).
Structural features and timing of deformation and
metamorphism
The main layering of the Malcolm Metamorphics,
including the migmatitic leucosomes and garnet in the
pelitic to semipelitic rocks, forms second generation,
tight to isoclinal, steeply southwest or locally northeast
plunging, east-northeast trending folds that define the
dominant structures (cf. Clark, 1999; Adams, 2012). To
the southwest of Point Malcolm at Cape Pasley, these folds
generally have more moderate plunges (Clark, 1999). The
folds occur in both the metabasalt and metasedimentary
rocks, and contain refolded earlier folds (Fig. 65d). The
second generation folds are cut by fine-grained granite
veins, although these are in turn locally sheared. A date of
1313 ± 16 Ma was obtained from one of these granite veins
at Point Malcolm, interpreted as part of the Recherche
Supersuite (Clark et al., 2000). Given that the Recherche
Supersuite is unknown in the Madura Province (Fig. 9),
this indicates that the Malcolm Metamorphics were in the
vicinity of the Albany–Fraser Orogen by this time.
U-Pb zircon dating of psammitic schist from Point
Malcolm has returned five analyses of five zircon rims that
yield a weighted mean date of 1315 ± 11 Ma, interpreted
as the age of high-temperature metamorphism (Fig. 66;
GSWA 194867, preliminary data). This is consistent with
a monazite date of 1311 ± 4 Ma, interpreted to record
formation of the refolded, peak metamorphic fabric
(Adams, 2012). Younger metamorphism is recorded in
monazite at c. 1180 Ma, interpreted to reflect hydrothermal
alteration of pre-existing grains during minor shearing
(Adams, 2012).
OIB
Day 5: Travel to Bremer Bay
E-MORB
Stop 14: Biranup–Nornalup Zone
boundary — Eleven Mile Beach
Eleven Mile Beach lies within the hanging wall of the
Burdett Shear Zone, to the east of the Coramup Shear
10.0 100.0 Zone, a major structure separating the Biranup and
30/11/17
eastern Nornalup Zones (Fig. 68). Both the Coramup and
Haig Cave Supersuite
Burdett Shear Zones are part of a distinct, northeasterly
Serpent gabbro
trending, southeasterly dipping shear zone network that is
Haig 1 gabbro
about 20 km wide, easily recognizable on aeromagnetic
Haig 2 gabbro
images, and has been imaged on deep crustal seismic
Loongana gabbro
and peridotite line 12GA- AF2, just north of Esperance. Its northeastern
extension links to the Fraser and Newman Shear Zones,
which bound the southern part of the Fraser Zone forming
the ‘S-bend’ region.
Paleoproterozoic basement rocks are intruded by
the 1330–1260 Ma Recherche Supersuite and the
1200–1140  Ma Esperance Supersuite. This voluminous,
dominantly felsic magmatism is for the most part
restricted to the eastern Nornalup Zone, with very limited
infiltration into the southeastern portion of the Biranup
Zone, across the Coramup Shear Zone. However, upper
amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism, and the
development of migmatites, is widespread in the Biranup
Zone and corresponds in age with these magmatic
events. The northwestward limitation of Mesoproterozoic
magmatism is interpreted as due to a distinct change in
crustal rheology that likely corresponds with the earlier
rift history, and to the inverted crustal architecture. It also
corresponds with the zone of thickened crust identified in
passive seismic data (Sippl et al., 2017a).
Coastal outcrops at Eleven Mile Beach comprise grey
orthogneiss, which is similar to that at Observatory Point
to the east (Fig. 69). The orthogneiss is a homogeneous
granitic gneiss with abundant garnets, mostly 1–2 mm
in size, with some up to about 5 mm. The granitic gneiss
locally contains leucocratic layers 10–30 cm thick,
containing aligned K-feldspar crystals. They are probably
pre- to syn-deformation veins or injections. There is no
geochronology nor geochemistry form this locality, so it
is unclear whether these rocks are Paleoproterozoic in age,
or Mesoproterozoic — probably Recherche Supersuite if
the correlation to grey orthogneiss at Observatory Point
is correct.
The orthogneiss has a strong to high strain foliation and
lineation that together define an L-S fabric, with S more
dominant (Fig. 69a). The strong fabric is tightly folded
into subhorizontal folds, some of which appear to have
sheath-like geometries (Fig. 69b). The fabric dips gently to
the southeast, and locally to the northwest. The fold axes
to the folds are generally parallel to the mineral lineation,
plunging 6–10° to about 230 (Fig. 69c,d). The foliation
locally has layer-parallel leucosome veins, but these also
grade into ponded migmatitic patches of coarser-grained
80
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

Biranup Zone SS
h e 1283 ± 13
e rc
ch ne
Re Zo
r ne
hea Zo
r
tS ea
et Sh
ne
rd
Zo n e Bu ne
Zo y
he
ar

ar
e

e C
Sh d-
Sh

p o
wo
s

mu
lm

y
ne ra He 33°50'
He

o Co
rZ
ea
Sh
y
dle
Ri Nights 3 & 4 Esperance
1138 ± 38
1688 ± 12 Stop 14
Eleven Mile
Butty Head Beach

1322 ± 11 1288 ± 12
Observatory Point

Esperance SS
Nornalup Zone basement
intruded by Recherche SS

one
ar Z
ne She
hey 34°00'S
d-C
woo
Hey 121°40' 121°50' 122°00'E
CS312 5 km 17/10/17

Locality U–Pb zircon geochronology Thrust

sample (date in Ma)
1 Field trip stops Major shear zone Strike-slip shear zone
Field trip route Minor shear zone Fold axial trace

Figure 68. Reduced-to-pole aeromagnetic image of the area west of Esperance, overlain by semi-transparent 1: 250 000 interpreted
bedrock geology (Spaggiari, 2016). Geochronology sites and protolith ages shown.

(pegmatitic) felsic material that cut the foliation and
lineation). Overall, the structure is potentially a large-
scale, asymmetric synform verging to the northwest.
An interpretation of the structural architecture between
the Coramup Shear Zone and the Heywood Fault (now
Heywood–Cheyne Shear Zone) near Observatory Point
was presented in Bodorkos and Clark (2004a), shown in
Figure 70.
Stop 15: Munglinup Gneiss —
Quagi Beach headland
Preamble
The Munglinup Gneiss is part of the Northern Foreland,
and is dominated by Archean granite gneiss of the
Yilgarn Craton, deformed and metamorphosed during
Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic events (Spaggiari
et al., 2014a). It has distinct patterns in aeromagnetic
imagery, which correspond to refolded folds, shear
zones, and mafic intrusions (Fig. 71; Spaggiari et al.,
2009). The fold patterns correspond to mesoscale north
to northwesterly trending F2 and northeasterly trending
F3 folds in outcrop (Fig. 6c; Spaggiari et al., 2011). Early
hook folds of gneissic layering in leucocratic tonalitic
gneiss define first generation folds (Spaggiari et al.,
2009). These three generations of folds are cut by shear
zones that locally contain leucosomes, indicative of upper
amphibolite to granulite facies deformation conditions.
In outcrop, dextral shear zones trend predominantly in
an easterly direction, whereas sinistral shear zones trend
predominantly to the northwest, and can be interpreted as
conjugates, indicative of northwest–southeast compression
(Fig. 6d,e; Spaggiari et al., 2011). The Munglinup Gneiss
also typically contains boudins or pinch and swell
structures that appear to be relatively late, and may relate
to the last phase of folding and/or conjugate shear zone
formation (Spaggiari et al., 2009, 2011).
Deep crustal seismic line 12GA-AF2 provides an east-
west cross-section of the Munglinup Gneiss, and also
highlights the folded character of the unit, and folded
shear zones (Fig. 72; Spaggiari and Occhipinti, 2015).

81
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

c) d)

CS310 11/10/17

Figure 69. Photographs of rocks at Eleven Mile Beach: a) Strong L-S fabric in orthogneiss and folded layering in foreground;
b) sheath-like fold geometry; c) folded layering in orthogneiss; the hammer head points north; d) profile view of
inclined folds in orthogneiss.

a)
NE
Heywood
Fault
S2

b)
c)

Coramup Fault S1

b) c) S1

S1 L2 L1

S2

Butty Head– Eleven Mile Beach– Figure 70. Figure 7 from Bodorkos and Clark (2004b), showing
Observatory Point their interpreted structural architecture.

CS298 11/10/17

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GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

NORTHERN FORELAND

Cir
cle
YILGARN ult 1218 ± 11
CRATON Fa
tup

Va
1667 ± 8
ut
dac

lle
Jer

yS
SZ 1804 ± 6 1779 ± 7

Z
a de 1806 ± 6
Casc SZ

SZ
Munglinup Biranup p

Belgian SZ
Zone u
Gneiss ng

Red Island
e SZ di
Clar ed

Bishops H
63
78 Sp

SZ
89 1299 ± 14
50 66

ley
58 89

Kateup Creek SZ
68 16 Bald Rock

Rid
c.2540 30

at SZ
33°30' 32 F2 F2
c.2660 isoclines
F3
Seismic line 12GA-AF2
74
SZ 30
50
er

Z
32 32
v

S
Ri 48

on
50
62 ung 29

bs
65 17 2661 ± 10
o
21 Y 42

Gi
1193 ± 11 59 c.2650 70 SZ Z
F3 isoclines
m up tt S
F2 F3 1692 ± 22
77 C ora u rde
B
SZ

SZ
F3
1283 ± 13
de

69 s
lm
ca

1187 ± 12 He
s

Stokes 85
28 68
Ca

Inlet 2661 ± 10 Ma 1671 ± 16 1757 ± 39 Nights Esperance

granite 76
? 89 Quagi Stop 15 1634 ± 26 1688 ± 12 3&4
F2 75 68
12 2660 ± 13 66 80 Beach Stop 14 1138 ± 38
F3
28 2703 ± 32
19 40 Munglinup 1322 ± 11
2658 ± 21 Beach 1288 ± 12
60 Powell
34°00'S Point
121°00'E 121°30' 122°00'
CS304 20 km 17/10/17

Locality Minor shear zone Gneissic foliation

15 Field trip stops Thrust Crenulation cleavage

Field trip route Strike-slip shear zone Shear sense indicator; dextral
U–Pb zircon geochronology Shear sense indicator showing dip of
sample (date in Ma) Antiform foliation: dextral, sinistral
U–Pb zircon geochronology Synform Mineral lineation
Salmon gums project
Major shear zone Fold axial trace Small-scale fold axis, unspecified

Orientation of boudins

Figure 71. Reduced-to-pole aeromagnetic image and major structures of the Munglinup Gneiss and surrounding region, with
selected outcrop structural measurements plotted (modified from Spaggiari et al., 2009). The location of seismic line
12GA-AF2 is also shown.

To the west, the Cascade Shear Zone is interpreted of Munglinup Gneiss and Paleoproterozoic interlayered
as a thrust with a gentle southeast dip, placing upper granitic and mafic gneiss, which includes c.  1800 Ma
amphibolite, Munglinup Gneiss over greenschist facies and 1670 Ma rocks that are part of the Biranup Zone
rocks of the Northern Foreland. The Cascade Shear Zone (GSWA 192502, Kirkland et al., 2014b; GSWA 192504,
has a scooped shape and links to the southeasterly dipping preliminary results). The Belgian Shear Zone links to the
Young River Shear Zone to the east at about 4 km depth, southeasterly dipping Red Island Shear Zone at depth,
and also truncates major shear zones within the underlying which defines the main boundary between the Northern
Yarraquin Seismic Province below. Foreland (Munglinup Gneiss) and the Biranup Zone
(Spaggiari et al., 2014c).
Farther east, the Munglinup Gneiss occurs within another
fault slice between the Young River Shear Zone and the The presence of both Archean Munglinup Gneiss and
folded Lauriana Shear Zone (Figs 71, 72). Large-scale, Paleoproterozoic Biranup Zone granitic gneiss in the same
refolded folds visible in aeromagnetic data can also be drillcores from the Salmon Gums Project (Hopkinson,
interpreted in the seismic section (Spaggiari et al., 2009, 2010; GSWA 192502, 192504, 192505, 192507 and
2014c). The Lauriana Shear Zone is folded into a broad, 192508), are consistent with the Paleoproterozoic history
northwesterly trending synform and overlies the older of magmatic intrusion directly into Yilgarn Craton crust
Belgian Shear Zone, which to the east bounds a slice (Kirkland et al., 2014a; Spaggiari et al., 2014a; Smithies

83
Quentin de Gromard et al.

ALBANY– FRASER OROGEN

NORTHERN FORELAND BIRANUP
MUNGLINUP GNEISS ZONE

NW SE
CDP 6000 6500 7000 7500 8000 8500 9000
0 Yo Laur
un iana

Lo
g Shear Zone
Ri

rt

Re
Riv v
er S er

d
Casca Be Isl
de
Shea .Z. S.Z lgia an
r Zo . n d
ne Munglinup Gneiss Sh Sh
ea
r ea
Cla Munglinup Zon r
re e Zo
She Gneiss ne
ar Young
Zon Yarraquin Seismic
e Rive
Province r
She
ar Zone
Two-way time (s)

Lower Crustal Non-Reflective

Zone

12GA-AF2
10
CS213 10 km 29/09/17

Form line Mafic/ultramafic

Fault or shear zone Base of upper crust
Base regolith/Cenozoic Lower crustal non-reflective zone

Figure 72. Detail of part of seismic line 12GA-AF2 showing interpreted linework and the Munglinup Gneiss in the upper crust
overlying the Yarraquin Seismic Province (After Spaggiari et al., 2014c).

et al., 2015b). The relationships show that the Northern
Foreland (Munglinup Gneiss) and Biranup Zone are not
simply fault-bound entities juxtaposed by major shear
zones, but are also autochthonous.
Quagi Beach headland
The following is slightly modified from Spaggiari et al.
(2011). This locality provides an opportunity to view a
well-exposed section of the Munglinup Gneiss, which is
bound by major shear zones. Southeast of this exposure,
structures within the Munglinup Gneiss are cut by the
northeast-trending Red Island Shear Zone. The Red Island
Shear Zone — named after a small rocky island visible
from the coast at this locality that the shear zone passes
through — is interpreted to be the present-day expression
of the boundary between the Northern Foreland and the
Biranup Zone of the Kepa Kurl Booya Province.
Along the headland south of Quagi Beach, porphyritic
granite gneiss and leucocratic, layered granite gneiss
occur, both of which contain mafic lenses. Centimetre-
scale leucocratic layers locally grade into more diffuse
patches, some of which occur in the necks of boudins. The
layering defines the earliest recognized foliation (S1), and
is tightly to isoclinally folded into gently east-plunging
folds. A well-developed mineral lineation plunges about
30° to the west. The folds, and the generally easterly
trending fabric, correlate with the regional fabric and F3
folds in aeromagnetic data (Fig. 71).
Crosscutting shear zones also contain leucosome patches,
some of which are cut by younger leucosome containing
biotite selvedges, indicating successive generations of
leucosome formation. Approximately 700 m south along
the headland, an east-northeasterly trending sinistral shear
zone about 50 cm wide is cut at high angles by small
pegmatite veins. The sinistral shear zone and veins are in
turn cut by conjugate sets of northwesterly trending dextral
and north-northeasterly trending sinistral shear zones, both
of which contain leucosomes.
Geochronological constraints of the
Munglinup Gneiss
Dating of migmatitic granitic gneiss from this headland
yielded an upper intercept date of 2709 ± 35 Ma,
interpreted as the magmatic crystallization age of the

84
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

granitic protolith, and a date of 1184 ± 6 Ma, interpreted Mafic rocks

as the age of high-grade metamorphism (GSWA 184334,
Kirkland et al., 2011b). About 70 km along the coast to
the west, at Powell Point, refolded folds in orthogneiss can
also be correlated with those interpreted in aeromagnetic
data (Fig. 71; see also Spaggiari et al., 2009, figures
8– 10). Here, two samples have provided younger protolith
ages of 2658 ± 21 Ma (porphyritic monzodiorite, GSWA
184127) and 2660 ± 13 Ma (leucocratic tonalitic gneiss,
GSWA 184128; Bodorkos and Wingate, 2008b, c). GSWA
184128 also provided an interpreted metamorphic date of
1195 ± 17 Ma. A third sample provided a protolith age of
2703 ± 32 Ma and a metamorphic date of 1185 ± 10 Ma
from zircon rims (GSWA 184329, Kirkland et al., 2013b),
consistent with the metamorphic date from Quagi Beach
headland. The oldest granitic gneiss known from the
Munglinup Gneiss was obtained from diamond drill core
from the Salmon Gums Project (EIS co-funded drillcore
SGD005; Hopkinson, 2010). The sample yielded a U–Pb
zircon date of 2718 ± 11 Ma, interpreted as the magmatic
crystallization age of the granite protolith (GSWA 192507,
Kirkland et al., 2013c).
Garnet-bearing mafic lenses of various sizes occur
throughout the granitic gneiss, commonly parallel to, and
locally folded with, the main fabric (Fig. 73a,b). These
lenses probably represent mafic dykes, and may be part
of the c. 1210 Ma Gnowangerup–Fraser Dyke Suite,
metamorphosed and deformed during Stage II of the
Albany–Fraser Orogeny. This would be consistent with
Stage II metamorphic zircon ages of c. 1200–1180 Ma
recorded throughout the Munglinup Gneiss. However, a
metagabbro sample collected 9 km west of the locality
of Munglinup recently yielded an interpreted igneous
crystallization date of 1193 ± 11 Ma (GSWA 192956, Lu
et al., 2015). It is unknown whether this metagabbro was
a mafic dyke.
At Quagi Beach headland, towards the south, a 10–15 m
wide mafic dyke, now a garnet-bearing, locally layered,
coarse amphibolite to mafic granulite gneiss, cuts
leucocratic granitic gneiss. The margins of the dyke show
good evidence, in the form of crenulate margins and
extensive back-veining of the country rock into the mafic

a) b)

c) d)

CS307 10/10/17

Figure 73. Photographs of the Munglinup Gneiss: a) Folded mafic lenses, which are probably disaggregated mafic dykes,
within the Munglinup Gneiss southwest of Quagi Beach; b) mafic dyke with wispy leucosome patches crosscutting
granitic gneiss, and in turn crosscut by a felsic dyke; south of Quagi Beach; c) lobate and crenulate contact of a
mafic dyke containing wispy leucosomes with granitic gneiss; Quagi Beach headland; d) late, undeformed mafic
dyke crosscutting granitic gneiss with abundant disaggregated mafic lenses, inferred to be earlier mafic dykes that
are possibly part of the Gnowangerup–Fraser Dyke Suite; southwest of Quagi Beach.

85
Quentin de Gromard et al.
dyke, that the country rock gneisses were deformed by
hot mafic magma as the dyke was emplaced (Fig. 73c).
To the southwest, a similar mafic dyke is crosscut by a
felsic dyke.
Late, east-southeasterly trending mafic dykes of unknown
age crosscut the earlier mafic dykes (Fig. 73d). Although
these late dykes contain a substantial portion of secondary
amphibole, they are undeformed. However, they locally
contain leucosomes and show evidence of back-veining,
cutting both the dykes themselves and their granitic host,
indicating that the granitic host was hot enough to partially
melt. This suggests that the late mafic dykes may have
formed during the latter part of Stage II of the Albany–
Fraser Orogeny, after deformation within the Munglinup
Gneiss had ceased, but before it cooled, perhaps between
c. 1160 and 1140 Ma.
At Powell Point, the mafic intrusions were previously
interpreted as undeformed. However, small-scale folds
plunging to the southwest within the mafic intrusive
have now been recognized. These are subparallel to the
contact of the mafic intrusive with the orthogneiss, which
cuts north to northwesterly trending F2 folds. The mafic
intrusive also appears to be folded within a larger-scale
S-fold, which is part of the F3 folding sequence. This
would bracket mafic intrusion between F2 and F3 folding.
An exposed block of orthogneiss provides a 3D view of
the F2 folds, and suggests their axial planes are gently
dipping to the southwest. This may also be the hinge zone
of an F3 fold, which also contains the mafic intrusion. The
complex relationships suggest multiple events of mafic
magmatism.
Stop 16: Point Ann
If access is possible and time permits we will visit coastal
outcrops of the Mount Barren Group, Barren Basin, at
Point Ann, within the Fitzgerald River National Park,
which is renowned for its unique flora. In spring these
can be seen in abundance, including the royal hakea,
with its tall, prickly, vibrant yellow–orange–red stem-like
flower, and the scarlet banksia. The ragged peaks visible
throughout the park are dominated by the white Kundip
Quartzite of the c. 1700 Ma Mount Barren Group, of the
Paleoproterozoic Barren Basin (Figs. 9, 74a, and 75). The
Mount Barren Group comprises three units, which from
lowest to uppermost are the Steere Formation, the Kundip
Quartzite, and the Kybulup Schist (Thom et al., 1984;
Witt, 1997).
Walk down the path from the car park to the coastal
outcrop on the south side of the small bay. Here, tightly
folded and crenulated, dark grey pelitic to semipelitic
rocks of the Kybulup Schist are exposed (Fig. 74a,b).
These stratigraphically overlie the Kundip Quartzite,
which is exposed on the opposite side of the small bay,
where a whale-watching platform is located. If you
look closely you will see small, hook folds of the thin
lithological layering, with an axial planar foliation. These
are refolded into the main folds observed here; F2 folds
with moderate southwest plunges interpreted as producing
Type-3 fold interference (Fitzsimons and Buchan, 2005).
A crenulation cleavage is well-developed.
86
It is interesting to note the lower metamorphic grade of
exposures of Kybulup Schist at this locality compared
to other localities to the northeast, west of Hopetoun,
which are garnet-bearing and estimated to have reached
amphibolite facies (Fitzsimons and Buchan, 2005). This
suggests the presence of a significant fault between the
two occurrences. Several studies have concluded the
presence of northwest-vergent folds and thrusts throughout
the Mount Barren Group, most likely formed as inverted
basin structures during Stage II of the Albany–Fraser
Orogeny (Spaggiari et al., 2015, and references therein).
Stop 17: Mt Maxwell lookout
This lookout provides a good view of the peaks of West
Mount Barren and Mount Bland, which comprise Kundip
Quartzite of the Mount Barren Group (Fig. 75). Low,
subhorizontal ridges in the landscape are remnants of
sea terraces, formed about 40 million years ago during
the Eocene when sea-levels were about 300 m higher (Li
et al., 2003; Sandiford et al., 2009). This was in part due
to the lower continental elevation at the time. Continental-
scale tilting, with northeast-side-down and southwest-
side-up, attributed to dynamic topography associated
with the northward subduction of the Australian plate and
complex mantle structures, eventually exposed the seafloor
(Sandiford et al., 2009). Spongelite, a white porous rock
made of skeletal fragments of sponges, is exposed in the
old sea cliffs within the Fitzgerald River National Park.
It sometimes has a reddish colour, due to iron-rich water
percolation. These sea cliffs, and the old sea floor, are
now covered in thick vegetation. The peaks of Kundip
Quartzite, which were former islands, can still be seen
rising above the ‘vegetation sea’.
Day 6: Travel to Denmark
Stop 18: Fisheries Bay
Preamble
The spectacular coastal outcrops at Bremer Bay provide
an excellent opportunity to examine relationships between
folding and boudinage in gneissic rocks. The most detailed
study to date is the PhD work by Miriam Barquero-
Molina, published as a GSWA Report in 2009 (Barquero-
Molina, 2010). This work was summarized in Spaggiari
et al. (2009), which included U–Pb zircon geochronology
of these previously undated rocks. The Fisheries Bay
headland locality was also described in Fitzsimons and
Buchan (2005).
The exposures of basement rocks in the Bremer Bay
area belong to the western part of the Biranup Zone, the
onshore component of which is exposed to the south
of Point Ann and Trigelow Beach, and which extends
to the west as far as the Darling Fault (Fig. 4). In this
part of the Albany–Fraser Orogen the Biranup Zone is
typified by its strong magnetic character, with a clear
east to east-northeast trend (Fig. 76). The following is a
slightly modified extract from Spaggiari et al. (2009), with
additional material from Barquero-Molina (2010).
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

RQ78 17/10/17

Figure 74. Photographs from Point Ann: a) folded Kybulup Schist; b) crenulated layering in the Kybulup Schist.

a) Western Biranup Zone

b)
CS91
Figure 75. Photographs of the Kundip Quartzite: a) View from
the summit of West Mount Barren, which comprises
white quartzite of the Kundip Quartzite, looking
southwest. The trace of the southeast-dipping
bedding can be seen in the distance; b) view of
Mount Bland looking northeast from West Mount
Barren, showing the dominant southeast dip of the
bedding.
Western Biranup Zone gneissic rocks are best exposed
along the south coast, especially in the Bremer Bay
region, the Pallinup River and estuary including Groper
Bluff, and near Lake Gidong east of Quagi Beach
(Fig.  76). While all of these areas exhibit high-strain,
shear-dominated deformation, the Bremer Bay region is
also characterized by large-scale boudinage, suggesting
at least one extensional event. The Central Domain of
Beeson et al. (1988) was defined along the Pallinup River
and is part of the Biranup Zone. Beeson et al. (1988)
described granulite facies rocks comprising about 5% thin,
discontinuous lenses of mafic granulite interlayered with
25% quartz–magnetite gneiss and 70% felsic granulite
that underwent two phases of deformation. D1 was only
observed as a foliation in the hinges of D2 folds, which
are overturned to the north-northwest and have a well-
developed west-southwesterly trending axial planar
foliation defined by hornblende- and orthopyroxene-
rich aggregates and biotite. The limbs of these folds are
locally boudinaged. D2 folds vary in style from shallowly
plunging to the east-northeast or west-southwest to
steeply plunging, or have highly curvilinear fold axes
particularly towards the fault contact with the Northern
Foreland (Miller Point Thrust and Bremer Fault). Adjacent
to the fault the folds are rotated parallel to the mineral
lineation (L2), which is interpreted to reflect dextral
transpression. D2 is interpreted to have been accompanied
by the formation of three sets of shear zones. The first
set are small-scale, west-northwesterly trending sinistral
and west-southwesterly trending dextral conjugate shear
zones that are overprinted by a second set of small-
scale northerly trending sinistral and west-northwesterly
trending dextral conjugate shear zones that also overprint
the D2 folds and boudins. Both sets are associated with
pegmatitic intrusions that infill tension gashes. The
structural geometry suggests north-northwest compression.
All D2 structures were overprinted by a third set of small-
scale, easterly trending sinistral shear zones that are more
common towards to the south, and more brittle than the
earlier structures (see Beeson et al. (1988) for more detail
on the structure in this area).

87
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Quentin de Gromard et al.

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Major thrust fault, interpreted
Nornalup Zone Major fault, interpreted
Minor fault, interpreted
Coastline
Pallinup River

20 km

CS95 17/10/17

Figure 76. Reduced-to-pole aeromagnetic image showing the strong magnetic character of the Biranup Zone in the Bremer Bay region, and beyond. The magnetite iron-ore deposit
known as Southdown occurs within this zone. Modified from Spaggiari et al. (2009).
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
Structural evolution of the Bremer Bay area
In the Bremer Bay region, the rocks are dominated by
granulite-facies stromatic migmatites with lithologies
that include tonalitic, granodioritic, dioritic, and
orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene-bearing orthogneisses.
The rocks display a complex structural history comprising
up to three different phases of bidirectional boudinage,
which alternate with phases of folding. Deformation
was ductile and is interpreted to have taken place at mid-
crustal levels. Partial melts were generated and emplaced
during all stages of ductile deformation and continued to
migrate through the country rock after deformation ceased.
Despite the abundance of partial melting, the structures
show consistent orientations, geometries, and superposed
relationships that can be traced for up to 12 km.
A prevalent fabric is defined by alternating leucosomes
and melanosomes, and is parallel to the main
compositional layering. Formation of this fabric is the
earliest event recorded in this region, although locally it
is observed to be axial planar to early isoclinal folds (F1)
of centimeter-wide leucosomes. This fabric and the early
folds were subsequently boudinaged, and refolded, as
described below:
1. First bidirectional extension phase: small, centimeter
to decimeter blocky boudins of mafic-rich layers
parallel to the dominant migmatitic fabric are
present throughout the entire Bremer Bay area
(Fig. 77a). These boudins formed concurrently with
two orthogonal directions, northwest-southeast and
northeast-southwest. Leucosomes (former melt) are
localized in the neck areas of these small boudins, and
intermittently along the boudinaged layers.
2. Open to isoclinal, upright to recumbent folds (F2):
these fold the migmatitic foliation and the boudinaged
mafic layers described above. The folds range from
a few centimeters to a meter in amplitude, plunge
shallowly to moderately (from 3° to nearly 40°) to the
southwest, and are common throughout the Bremer
Bay area (Fig. 77b).
3. Second bidirectional extension phase: intermediate-
scale boudins (less than a meter to a few meters in
scale) are found throughout the Bremer Bay area. The
migmatitic foliation, open to isoclinally folded mafic
square boudins, and locally, compositional layering,
have all been boudinaged during this phase (Fig. 77c).
As in the first extensional phase, these boudins
formed in two orthogonal orientations, northwest-
southeast and northeast-southwest, and do not
crosscut each other. These boudins are also consistent
in style and overall size throughout. Leucosomes are
commonly observed concentrated in the necks of the
boudins.
4. Regional, km-scale, asymmetric, northwest-verging,
southwest-plunging overturned folds (F3): These
regional-scale folds have long shallow limbs and
are found throughout the Bremer Bay area (Fig.78).
They can be traced in areas where a northeast-
striking and moderately to steeply southeast-dipping
migmatitic foliation is exposed (corresponding to
89
steeply dipping overturned limbs of the folds) to areas
where a northwest-striking or shallowly southwest-
to south-dipping migmatitic foliation is exposed
(corresponding to upright, shallow-dipping limbs of
the folds).
5. Third bidirectional extension phase: Large,
decameter-sized boudins of the migmatitic foliation
and compositional layering, which occur in
orthogonal northwest-southeast and northeast-
southwest orientations, are present in the Bremer
Bay area (Fig. 79). They are visible only in areas
that have a northwest-trending, shallow southwest-
dipping migmatitic foliation, including Fisheries Bay
headland, and not on the steeply dipping overturned
limbs of the regional folds. As observed for the
boudins of the two previous extension phases, former
melts have intruded in the neck areas of these two sets
of boudins.
Geochronology of the orthogneisses at
Bremer Bay
SHRIMP U–Pb dating of zircons from the Bremer Bay area
has constrained granitic protolith ages to c. 1680 Ma and,
for the most part, the timing of high-grade metamorphism
to c. 1180 Ma, during Stage II of the Albany–Fraser
Orogeny (1225–1140 Ma; Clark et  al., 2000; Spaggiari
et al., 2014a). The c.  1180 Ma age is within uncertainty
of a previously published date from Groper Bluff, west
of Bremer Bay (Fig.  76). Black et al. (1992) conducted
SHRIMP U–Pb analysis on zircons from a granulite
facies, quartz–plagioclase–orthopyroxene–hornblende
pegmatite from Groper Bluff, which intruded the host
felsic gneiss at an early stage of its structural history.
Figure 77. (next page) Photographs of structures in the Bremer
Bay area (after Barquero-Molina, 2009): a) Early,
small, square, northwesterly trending boudins of a
mafic layer (first extensional phase). The compass
showing the scale is 10 cm long; b) open to tight D2
folds of the dominant gneissic fabric folding early
small, square to rectangular, northwesterly trending
boudins of mafic layers. The hinge lines trend
northeast and plunge shallowly to the southwest.
The notebook showing the scale is 20  cm long.
Fisheries Bay Headland; c) northeast–southwest-
trending boudin of a meter-wide mafic layer parallel
to the main migmatitic foliation (outlined by the
solid white line), which contains a tight fold of
the migmatitic foliation (hinge area outlined by
the dashed white line) at Banky Beach Headland.
The compass showing the scale is 10  cm long;
d) large, decameter-sized, northwesterly trending,
asymmetric domino-style torn boudins of the
compositional layering and migmatitic fabric
(annotated with green lines), offset by normal shear
zones (yellow lines), and intruded by pegmatitic
melt (solid yellow arrow); Fisheries Bay Headland
(third extensional phase); e) large, decameter-sized
northwest-trending symmetric boudins (annotated
with green lines) of the compositional layering and
migmatitic fabric. Field of view is 60 m wide; Point
Gordon headland.
Quentin de Gromard et al.

a) b)

c)

d)

e)

CS96 17/10/17

90
 Table 2. Summary of geochronology and related structures in the Bremer Bay area
GSWA Record 2017/14

Locality Sample Lithology Age (Ma) Interpretation Deformation event Relationship to other
samples

Fisheries Bay headland GSWA 184311 Orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene- 1680 ± 7 Igneous crystallization age of – Host to GSWA 184310
bearing orthogneiss protolith

Short Beach headland GSWA 184312 Granodioritic gneiss 1689 ± 11 Igneous crystallization age of – Host to GSWA 184326
protolith

Point Henry GSWA 184119 Leucocratic monzogranitic gneiss 1670 ± 12 Minimum age of igneous – Host to GSWA 184307
crystallization of protolith

Short Beach headland GSWA 184312 Granodioritic gneiss 1154 ± 25 High-grade metamorphism Within uncertainty of second Host to GSWA 184326
and third extensional phases

Point Henry GSWA 184119 Leucocratic monzogranitic gneiss 1178 ± 4 High-grade metamorphism Within uncertainty of second Host to GSWA 184307
and third extensional phases

91
Point Henry GSWA 184307 Pegmatitic granodiorite 1187 ± 5 Igneous crystallization age M-scale, NE-trending boudins Intrudes GSWA 184119 in
of protolith formed during the second phase boudin neck
of extension

Point Henry GSWA 184307 Pegmatitic granodiorite 1172 ± 16 High-grade metamorphism M-scale, NE-trending boudins Intrudes GSWA 184119 in
formed during the second phase boudin neck
of extension

Fisheries Bay headland GSWA 184310 Leucocratic granodiorite 1178 ± 3 Both igneous crystallization Dm-scale, NW-trending boudins Intrudes GSWA 184311 in
age of granodiorite and high- formed during the third phase boudin neck
grade metamorphism of extension

Short Beach headland GSWA 184326 Pegmatitic leucogranite 1148 ± 9 Igneous crystallization age of M-scale, NE-trending boudins Intrudes GSWA 184312 in
protolith formed during the second phase boudin neck; within
of extension, but interpreted to uncertainty of high-grade
be a later intrusion metamorphism date in host
SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Headlands
NDBH: Native Dog Beach H.
BIBH: Blossoms Beach H. JCH
LBHH: Little Boat Harbour H.
PHH: Point Henry H.
BBH: Banky Beach H.
34°34' BBEH: Banky Beach East H.
PGH: Native Dog Beach H.
NDBH: Point Gordon H.
SBH: Short Beach H.
SBHN: Short Beach North H.
FBH: Fisheries Bay H.
BcBh: Back Beach H.
JCH: John’s Cove H.

Steep SE-dip
BcBH
Shallow S/SW-dip FBH
Axial trace plunging
34°33' overturned antiform
Axial trace plunging
overturned synform SBNH

SBH

NDBH
34°32'
b)
BBH
BBEH
PGH
BIBH

LBHH

SOUTHERN OCEAN
PHH

34°31'

1 km

119°21' 119°22' 119°23'

CS314 17/10/17

NW SE
30

20

10
Depth (m)

-10

-20

-30
No V.E
Quartz monzonite Leucocratic granodiorite 20 km

Monzodiorite Compositional layering

CS315 17/10/17

Figure 78. Simplified map and cross-section of the Bremer Bay area (after Barquero-Molina, 2009). The map shows the migmatitic
foliation pattern and location of three, regional-scale, overturned, southwest-plunging F3 folds.Two exposed antiformal
traces and one inferred synformal trace are shown. A northwest–southeast geological cross-section across the
northern end of Banky Beach East headland is shown where continuous outcrop exposes both limbs and the hinge
region of the southernmost regional antiform.

92
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip

a) b)

c) d)

sample site

e) f)

g)

CS100

93
Quentin de Gromard et al.

Figure 79. (previous page) Photographs of dating sites in the Bremer Bay area: a) Orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene orthogneiss
from Fisheries Bay headland. The layering in the orthogneiss has a strike of 140, dipping 45° to the southwest,
parallel to the stretching direction of large-scale boudins in this area. Sample GSWA 184311 was taken 1.5 m from
here (Zone 50, MGA 720773E 6187931N); b) coarse-grained, leucocratic granodiorite from a large-scale boudin neck
in orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene orthogneiss from Fisheries Bay headland. Sample site GSWA 184310 (Zone 50, MGA
720773E 6187931N); c) typical boudinaged granodiorite gneiss at Short Beach headland, where sample GSWA 184312
was collected (Zone 50, MGA 720437E 6186221N). The sample was taken from the leucocratic layer in the center of the
photo, above the sledge hammer; d) pegmatitic leucogranite intruded into the neck of an intermediate-size (~2 m)
northeasterly trending boudin in a mafic gneiss layer within granodiorite gneiss at Short Beach northern headland,
where sample GSWA 184326 was collected (Zone 50, MGA 720546E 6186078N). Northwesterly trending boudins of the
same mafic layer and migmatitic fabric in the granodiorite gneiss are interpreted as coeval; e) very coarse-grained
pegmatitic granodiorite in the neck of a medium-scale boudin within mafic granulite and monzogranite gneiss at Point
Henry (Zone 50, MGA 719139E 6181985N). The granodiorite is representative of sample GSWA 184307; f) asymmetric
boudinage of mafic granulite in monzogranite gneiss. The latter is representative of sample GSWA 184119, collected
at Point Henry (Zone 50, MGA 719139E 6181985N); g) intrafolial folds in monzogranite gneiss, representative of sample
GSWA 184119, collected at Point Henry (Zone 50, MGA 719139E 6181985N)

The low uranium contents of the pegmatite zircons led
Black et al. (1992) to present the 206Pb*/238U date of
1196 ± 8 Ma as the most robust (and precise) estimate of
the igneous crystallization age of the pegmatite, but the data
indicate a slight degree of reverse discordance, and the less
precise 207Pb*/206Pb* date of 1165 ± 28 Ma is regarded as a
more conservative estimate of the crystallization age.
Rocks dated in the Bremer Bay area include
orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene orthogneiss, granodioritic
gneiss, and granodioritic and leucocratic pegmatites from
boudin necks (Table 2). Orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene-
bearing orthogneiss with well-developed differentiated
layering from Fisheries Bay headland yielded a SHRIMP
U–Pb zircon igneous crystallization age of 1680 ± 7 Ma
(Fig. 79; GSWA 184311, Bodorkos and Wingate,
2008f). The orthogneiss has been affected by the third
extensional phase that produced large-scale boudinage
(Fig. 79d), and the boudin necks are filled by abundant
coarse-grained leucocratic granodiorite, of which
GSWA 184310 (Bodorkos and Wingate, 2008e) is
representative (Fig.  79b). The leucocratic granodiorite
has a granuloblastic texture with plagioclase crystals up
to 8  mm in length, and comprises approximately 55%
quartz, 35% plagioclase, 5% K-feldspar, 5% biotite, and
accessory sulfide minerals (GSWA 184310, Bodorkos
and Wingate, 2008e). Zircons from this sample are up
to 800 μm long, with aspect ratios up to 3:1, and display
a wide range of cathodoluminescence (CL) emission
patterns. Cores with very low CL emission and either
concentric zoning or chaotic structure are common, as are
conformable rims with bright CL emission and oscillatory
zoning. The sample yielded a weighted mean date of
1178 ± 3 Ma from 29 analyses of 22 zircons, characterized
by a wide range of crystal morphologies (cores and rims),
CL emissions (very high to very low, with and without
oscillatory zoning), uranium contents (55–2402 ppm), and
Th/U ratios (0.03 – 2.12). The diversity of the constituent
zircons suggests that this date should be interpreted as
both an igneous crystallization age for the granodiorite,
and the best estimate of the age of broadly synchronous
high-grade metamorphism (GSWA 184310, Bodorkos and
Wingate, 2008e). It is also the best estimate for the age
of the third phase of extension related to the large-scale,
bi-directional boudinage (Fig. 77d,e).
Granodioritic gneiss at Short Beach headland, just south
of Fisheries Bay headland (Fig. 78a), yielded a SHRIMP
U–Pb zircon igneous crystallization age of 1689 ± 11 Ma,
which is within uncertainty of the orthopyroxene–
clinopyroxene orthogneiss at Fisheries Bay headland
(Fig. 73c; GSWA 184312, Bodorkos and Wingate, 2008g).
The granodioritic gneiss is medium-grained, seriate to
locally porphyritic, and strongly foliated and hosts layers
of mafic granulite. Both rock types have been affected by
medium-scale boudinage related to the second extensional
phase. These boudins are northwesterly trending, and
their necks are filled by coarse-grained, weakly-deformed
leucogranite. The host rock GSWA 184312 also yielded
a date of 1154 ± 25 Ma from zircon rims and discrete
grains, which is interpreted as the best estimate of the age
of high-grade metamorphism. Four zircon core analyses
yielded dates of 2510–1747 Ma, and are interpreted to
be of xenocrystic zircons physically entrained by the
granodioritic magma prior to igneous crystallization.
Pegmatitic leucogranite (GSWA 184326, Bodorkos and
Wingate, 2008h) is from a boudin neck within a foliated
mafic granulite at Short Beach headland (Fig. 79d), which
in turn is hosted by the strongly foliated granodioritic
gneiss described above (GSWA 184312, Bodorkos and
Wingate, 2008g). The pegmatite comprises approximately
55% plagioclase, 20% microcline, 10% quartz, 10%
hornblende, 3–5% biotite, and accessory opaque oxide
minerals and zircon. SHRIMP U–Pb analysis of zircon
rims and discrete grains yielded a date of 1148 ± 9 Ma,
which is interpreted as the age of igneous crystallization
of the leucogranite. The age of 1154 ± 25 Ma for the high-
grade metamorphic event from the granodioritic gneiss
host (GSWA 184312, Bodorkos and Wingate, 2008g) is
indistinguishable from the igneous crystallization age
of 1148 ± 9 Ma, inferred for the leucogranite within the
boudin neck, although the unmetamorphosed character
of the leucogranite suggests that the formation of the
northeast-trending boudin necks post-dated the main phase
of c. 1180 Ma high-grade metamorphism of the host rocks.
South of Bremer Bay, at Point Henry (Figs 76, 78a)
leucocratic monzogranite gneiss contains elongate
lenses (up to five metres wide) of medium- to coarse-
grained and gneissic mafic granulite as medium-scale,

94
GSWA Record 2017/14 SGTSG 2017 Albany–Fraser Orogen pre-conference fieldtrip
northeasterly trending boudins that are orthogonal to those
at Short Beach headland. The boudin necks are filled by
very coarse-grained, weakly-deformed granodiorite, of
which GSWA 184307 (Bodorkos and Wingate, 2008d) is
representative (Fig. 79e; Table 2). Boudinage of the mafic
granulite is asymmetric, indicating dextral extensional
shear, and intrafolial isoclinal folds are developed in
the adjacent monzogranitic gneiss (Fig. 23f,g). Patches
of pegmatitic granodiorite occur within both the gneiss
and the mafic granulite, and all structures, fabrics, and
rock types are affected by localized development of tight,
mesoscopic folds. SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of the
host monzogranite gneiss yielded a minimum age for
igneous crystallization of the monzogranite precursor of
1670 ± 12 Ma (MSWD = 2.4), interpreted as a minimum
age due to potential radiogenic Pb loss (Fig. 79f; GSWA
184119, Bodorkos and Wingate, 2008a). A date of
1178 ± 4 Ma is interpreted as the age of the high-grade
metamorphic event responsible for zircon rim growth.
SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of the pegmatitic
granodiorite at Point Henry from a boudin neck related to
the second extensional phase (Fig. 79e) yielded an igneous
crystallization age of 1187 ± 5 Ma, interpreted from
10  zircon core analyses (GSWA 184307, Bodorkos and
Wingate, 2008d). A date of 1172 ± 16 Ma is interpreted
as the age of a high-grade metamorphic event responsible
for the formation of thick rims mantling magmatic zircon
cores, and also new growth of discrete zircons. The date
of 1172 ± 16 Ma is indistinguishable from the date of
1178 ± 4 Ma ascribed to high-grade metamorphism of the
host monzogranite gneiss (GSWA 184119, Bodorkos and
Wingate, 2008a), indicating that both igneous phases were
metamorphosed during the same tectonothermal event.
All dates of high temperature metamorphism and
crystallization of pegmatitic material within boudin
necks in the Bremer Bay region are within uncertainty
of 1182–1179 Ma, with the exception of the pegmatitic
leucogranite from Short Beach headland (GSWA 184326,
Bodorkos and Wingate, 2008h). As explained above, this
pegmatitic leucogranite may have formed after the main
phase of high grade metamorphism of the host rocks,
possibly as a late intrusion into a pre-existing, second
extensional phase boudin neck as the 1148  ±  9  Ma age
is younger than those of the second and third phases
dated elsewhere. The dating of the leucocratic material
from boudin necks related to the second and third
extensional phases at Point Henry and Fisheries Bay
headland, respectively, shows that intrusion of this
material and extension occurred between c. 1187 and
1172 Ma, coincident with the high-grade metamorphism
(Table 2). This indicates that the large-scale, regional F3
folding event, (that is bracketed by the second and third
extensional phases) also occurred at this time, but the first
extensional phase and first two folding events are older. All
U–Pb zircon metamorphic dates obtained from the Bremer
Bay area correspond to Stage II of the Albany–Fraser
Orogeny. No evidence of metamorphism relating to Stage
I of the Albany–Fraser Orogeny was identified, which
suggests that all three phases of extension and folding
probably occurred during Stage II.
95
Fisheries Bay headland
This locality is one of the best to observe the features
described above. The curved, northwest-facing quarry
wall at the main car park provides an opportunity to view
structures that are exposed on the headland from another
perspective. The end of a large, northwest-trending boudin
is evident in the quarry wall. Walk around the headland to
observe folds, smaller boudins, and a great view of large
boudins in the cliff wall (Fig. 77d).
Stop 19: Banky Beach west headland
From the car park walk down the sandy track (not the track
to the beach) towards the headland. Here you can observe
more folds and boudins that formed during the events
described above. The following is from (Barquero-Molina,
2010). The migmatitic foliation strikes northeast and dips
moderately to steeply to the southeast, corresponding
to the overturned limb of a regional-scale, F 3 fold
(Fig. 78). The headland is dominated by orthopyroxene–
clinopyroxene–biotite ± hornblende, quartz monzonite
gneiss, interlayered with magnetite–granodiorite gneiss,
and lesser garnet–biotite–quartz monzonite gneiss. Small,
early northeast- and northwest-trending boudins of mafic
layers parallel to the migmatitic foliation occur within
small, northwest-verging, southwest-plunging open to
tight folds. These folds are themselves boudinaged by the
second extensional phase, and refolded by the F3 phase of
regional folds.
References
Adams, M 2012, Structural and geochronological evolution of the
Malcolm Gneiss, Nornalup Zone, Albany-Fraser Orogen, Western
Australia: Geological Survey of Western Australia, Record 2012/4,
132p.
Aitken, ARA, Betts, PG, Young, DA, Blankenship, DD, Roberts, JL and
Siegert, MJ 2016, The Australo-Antarctic Columbia to Gondwana
transition: Gondwana Research, v. 29, no. 1, p. 136–152.
Barley, ME, Brown, SJA, Krapež, B and Kositcin, N 2008, Physical
volcanology and geochemistry of a Late Archaean volcanic arc:
Kurnalpi and Gindalbie Terranes, Eastern Goldfields Superterrane,
Western Australia: Precambrian Research, v. 161, p. 53–76.
Barquero-Molina, M 2010, Kinematics of bidirectional extension and
coeval NW-directed contraction in orthogneisses of the Biranup
Complex, Albany Fraser Orogen, southwestern Australia: Geological
Survey of Western Australia, Report 109, 205p.
Bateman, R and Hagemann, S 2004, Gold mineralisation throughout
about 45 Ma of Archaean orogenesis: protracted flux of gold in
the Golden Mile, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia: Mineralium
Deposita, v. 39, no. 5–6, p. 536–559.
Beeson, J, Delour, CP and Harris, LB 1988, A structural and
metamorphic traverse across the Albany Mobile Belt, Western
Australia: Precambrian Research, v. 40–41, p. 117–136,
doi:10.1016/0301-9268(88)90064-2.
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