a62e9b1f-f8a9-44b2-aa12-0b6cc0461edb urn:uuid eng UTF-8 nonGeographicDataset nonGeographicDataset 2026-04-04T09:28:01 creation ISO 19115 2016 Ord Basin hydrogeological inventory a62e9b1f-f8a9-44b2-aa12-0b6cc0461edb This Ord Basin dataset contains descriptive attribute information for the areas bounded by the relevant spatial groundwater feature in the associated Hydrogeology Index map. Descriptive topics are grouped into the following themes: Location and administration; Demographics; Physical geography; Surface water; Geology; Hydrogeology; Groundwater; Groundwater management and use; Environment; Land use and industry types; and Scientific stimulus. The Ord Basin, an intracratonic sedimentary basin, covers about 8000 square kilometres on the border of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It was once part of the extensive Centralian Superbasin, which deposited sediments across central and northern Australia from the Proterozoic to early Palaeozoic era. The Ord Basin comprises three synclines with up to 2500 m of Cambrian and Devonian sedimentary rocks, separated by major faults and Proterozoic basement highs. The basin's northern boundary is defined by the Halls Rewards Fault and Proterozoic basement rocks, separating it from the Bonaparte Basin. The western edge overlies rocks of the Paleoproterozoic Halls Creek Orogen, while the eastern margin is separated from the Wiso Basin by volcanic Kalkarindji Province and Proterozoic Birrindudu and Victoria basins. The southern boundary is formed by the Negri Fault and Proterozoic basement highs. The depositional history of the Ord Basin can be divided into three phases. The early Cambrian witnessed extensive basaltic volcanism, forming the Antrim Plateau Volcanics. Subsequently, the Cambrian marine transgression deposited carbonates and clastic rocks of the Goose Hole Group, including the Elder and Negri Subgroups. The Late Devonian saw the deposition of continental sandstones and conglomerates of the Mahony Group. Throughout the basin's evolution, tectonic movements and erosional processes shaped its present configuration. The Alice Springs Orogeny (450 to 300 Ma) caused deformation and landscape changes, resulting in the deposition of the Mahony Group. Periodic reactivation of growth faults in the underlying Birrindudu Basin and subsequent erosion contributed to the basin's current structure. The Ord Basin's three synclines are the Hardman Syncline (southern and largest), the Rosewood Syncline (central), and the Argyle Syncline (northern). The Hardman Syncline holds the full succession of basin strata. {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[128.2204, -18.0382], [129.8569, -18.0382], [129.8569, -16.2333], [128.2204, -16.2333], [128.2204, -18.0382]]]} 128.2204 129.8569 -18.0382 -16.2333 Basin Analysis EARTH SCIENCES ECOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Environmental Management Exploring for the Future GEOLOGY Groundwater Hydrogeology Land Use and Environmental Planning National Groundwater Sytems National Hydrogeological Inventory PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GEOSCIENCE Published_External Sedimentology Stratigraphy (incl. Biostratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy) Download the report (pdf) [600 KB] documentDigital Download the report (pdf) [600 KB] PDF