Tectonic development of the Drummond Basin, eastern Australia: backarc extension and inversion in a Late Palaeozoic active margin setting

Abstract

AbstractDetailed seismic reflection data combined with regional magnetic, gravity and geological data indicate that the Drummond Basin originated as a backare extensional basin associated with Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous active margin tectonism in the northern New England Fold Belt. Seismic reflection data have been used to generate a two‐way time map of seismic basement, providing a clear view of the basinal geometry and structural development. Broadscale structural asymmetry of the basin implies that simple shear along a deep, upper‐crustal detachment provided the extensional mechanism and generated an inter‐related set of listric normal faults and associated transfer faults, as well as steeply‐dipping planat normal faults. The orientation of normal faults near the basin margins appears to have been controlled by regional basement structural trends. Transfer‐fault trends were approximarely orthogonal to the line of plate convergence as assessed from the orientation of coeval are, forcare and subduction complex stratorectonic elements. Three distinct phases of infill are represented in the basinal stratigraphic succession. The first consists largely of volcanics and volcaniclastics, indicating that effusive magmatism and extension were closely associated in space and time. The second is quartzose and of basement derivation, but was not derived from footwall blocks at the faulted basinal margins to the east and north. Uplifted hanging‐wall crust beyond the western basinal margin, a product of west‐directed simple shear detachment, was the likely source terrain. The final infill phase consisted of volcaniclastics considered to have been derived from a coeval volcanic are to the east. Major faults at the basin margins provided conduits for magmatism during extensional basin development, and long after the basinal history was complete. During the Late Carboniferous and mid‐Triassic, the basin was affected by two discrete episodes of compressional deformation. This led to inversion with the development of folds, and reverse and wrench faults now seen at the surface.