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Objectives

At completion of this field exercise participants will be able:

• To recognize common carbonate rocks in hand specimen.
• To identify fossils from from the Palaeozoic era and in particular from the Devonian period.
• To analysis the depositional environment and carbonate formation and reconstruct its evolution through time.
• To measure the orientation in space of planar and linear structural elements (beddings, unconformities, cleavages, fractures, lineations, fold axis, etc).
• To report field observations on a map.
• To construct cross-sections.
• To plot structural planar and linear elements on an equal-area stereonet canvas.
• To analyse and reconstruct the tectonics history.

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Assessment

This exercise is a short (in time but important in significance) component of GEOS 2124 - 2924.

The assessment is based on group field map sheet and cross section (25%), individual notebook (15%), field participation (20%) and individual geological report (40%). A penalty of up to 20 marks will be removed from your final mark should your behaviour as a team member and your involvement on all activities be unsatisfactory.

The group field map sheet, cross-section and individual notebook are due on the final day of the trip. The final report, with your final map and cross-section is due on Friday 12 Oct at 12 am. Submit your work to Patrice Rey (Demountables (H11) room 103). Late submissions will incur a penalty of 5% per day.

Field participation (Individual, 20%):
Fieldwork requests particular skills including, being able to work as a team member, being able to work outside more familliar environment and get along with the rain, the cold, the heat, the flies, the smell of rooting catles, that of the manure on your boots, and the annoying attitude of your teammate. Your performance as a team member will be assess on your overall behavior. We will reward leadership, enthousiasm, and positive behavior, while penalysing those who won't be ready to go in the field in the morning, those dragging along letting their teammates do the job for them.

Field notebook (Individual, 15%):
Your field notebook is where all of your observations and measurements are recorded. They are extremely important, and should contain a large amount of information and sketches (with scale and geographic orientation) that record relevant observations (fossils, rock textures, structures and microstructures, landscape) or measurements in the field. They should also be well organised and legible.
It is NOT necessary to re-write these at the end of the day. Marks WILL be deducted if we see notebooks that have been re-written for reasons of “prettiness”. Re-doing notebooks leads to errors in translation which can lead to misinterpretations due to poor data. We DO NOT expect them to be perfectly tidy, although you should be able to understand your own notes. At the end of the day you may want to add some colour to sketches or extra thoughts about features you have observed during the day into the same notebook. Your notebook should not be a collection of loose-leaf A4 sheets, but instead a small note pad/book, preferably hard covered as this makes it easier to write in especially on windy days. We recommend A5 sketching book as can be bought at any newsagent for a few dollars.
Your field notebook will be submitted on the final day of the trip for grading and will be handed back to you on the following Monday for preparation of the final mapping report.

Field map sheet and cross-section (Group, 25%):
Each group will be responsible for deciding how they define the boundaries between mappable units. So it does not matter if your map and cross section looks different to others. Groups may not cover all the same areas in the same time. We are not necessarily looking for the right answer, but a for geological documents valid and coherent with the various field data YOUR GROUP has collected.

The field map sheet is the air photo overlay that your group uses in the field. The field cross section is a synthetic cross section you will construct day by day from various field traverses recorded on you field notebook. Both the field map sheet and field cross section should display all of the measurements and factual data you have collected in the field including: localities, dip/strike measurements, outcrop locations, boundaries, fold axes and faults. These documents are part of the data acquisition process. They should include only factual data with little to no interpretation. We therefore expect these documents to be largely incomplete. Your interpretative final map and cross section, will be constructed as part of your final report.

Your field map sheet, cross-section and field notebook will be submitted on the final day of the trip for grading and will be handed back to you on the following Monday for preparation of the final mapping report.

Report (Individual, 40%):

The report must include the final interpretative map and cross section.

The final interpretative map and cross section must display both factual and interpretive information that you collected during the trip. These documents should include a legend including a stratigraphic column. You will be supplied with a base map that outlines the geography sufficient to accurately relate the geology to the topography as well as:

• Roads
• Rivers, creeks and significant gullies
• Buildings
• Fences
• Bridges

The factual data to be added by you will be: strikes and dips, lithologies, boundaries that you have determined in the field, fold axes and faults that you located precisely etc… It is not necessary to plot your localities and traverses. As much data should be show on this map as is possible without cluttering.

The interpretative data to be added by you will be: boundaries, fold axes and faults extended on the basis of air photo interpretation.

The final interpretative cross-section of your area must be approximately perpendicular to the regional strike. It should have no vertical exaggeration. Topography and geology should be accurately shown. Use the same legend as for your map.

Reports should be clearly laid out, with headings and subheadings wherever possible, and should follow the format shown below.

Before typing the report, you should read the references supplied and refer to these and others you may find in your report. Your report should be written in concise, but proper English, with impeccable spelling, grammar and composition.

Number all pages. The cross-section(s), map(s), and any illustrations should be given figure numbers, should be referred to by number in the text, and should have appropriate scales and captions. Except for the abstract, the text must be double-spaced (i.e., written on alternate lines). In this format, the text should be 10-15 A4 sides in length (penalties will apply for reports that are too brief or too lengthy), should be stapled, clipped or otherwise pinned together.

We encourage you to be creative/individual in the writing of your report, but in terms of report structure you must to adhere to the following format:

Abstract-  A brief summary of the important results and their significance. Should be informative and not generalised.

Table of contents-  List the major subheadings of the report, and the page numbers on which they begin.

Introduction-  Sets perspective for the rest of the report. Include brief statements of the aim of the report, what area was mapped, and the methods used.

Local Geology- Describe each rock unit (map unit, formation) in order of decreasing age. Use the following subheadings as a guide.

-       Lithology (detailed description of the rock types including colour and outcrop characteristics, mineralogy and grain size, fossil assemblages, and sedimentary/igneous structures) – emphasise those features distinguishing this unit form the others.

-       Relationships (how boundaries are defined and recognised, conformable/unconformable)

-       Thickness and lateral extent

-       Environment of deposition (give clear reasons for you choice, and refer to the information you have been given)

-       Age (you may need to quote from previously published work)

-       Include illustrations (sketches or photos) of representative sedimentary structures, fossils, etc. Each illustration must have a caption and scale. Also include illustrations of your postulated environments of deposition.

Structural geology-  Describe and discuss folds, faults, foliation, and microstructure such as stylolitic joints, extensional fractures, etc., giving their orientation and referring to both map and cross-section. Stereonets representing the structural data you collected should be included and discussed. If there is more than one generation of structures they must be discussed separately, starting with the earliest. Once the mesoscopic structures have been described you MUST relate these to the macroscopic structure.

Geological history-    This is one of the most important parts of your report, because in this section you draw on all the information so far presented to give a coherent, detailed geological history of the area. Start with the oldest event, and then mention all events in order, including changes in depositional environment, deformation, uplift, erosion, and igneous intrusive and extrusive activity. Give ages to all events if possible, and continue through to present. Write incomplete sentences (do not use point form). Use diagrams to illustrate your geological history whenever appropriate.

References- You must have read the references give out before the trip before you write your report, and you must refer to these in appropriate places in the report, using the following methods: “Browne (1959) suggested that …………” or “The Cavan Bluff Limestone is Early Devonian (Browne, 1959)

At the end of your report, list the references you have quoted in the text, in alphabetical order, using EXACTLY the following layout:

  Browne, I.A., 1959. Stratigraphy and structure of the Devonian rocks of the Taemas and Cavan areas, Murrumbidgee River, south of Yass, N.S.W. Journal and proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, 92, 115-128.

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Assumed Knowledge and References

To complete the exercises of this field course you should be familiar with the following concepts and tasks:

• Stratigraphy: Palaeozoic time scale, in particular what of the Silurian and Devonian period.
• Petrography/Sedimentology: Identification of common sedimentary rokcs. Concept of unconformity, concept of basins.
• Basic knowlegde of carbonate rocks (classifiication and nomenclature) and depositional environments.
• Structural Geology: Basic analyses of faults, folds, and fractures. Basic knowledge of cleavages, foliations, lineations. Basic knowledge on stereonet techniques. Basic knowledge in paleostress analysis.

REFERENCES

From the following list those marked * are compulsory reading, to be read before travelling to Yass.

W. J. Collins and B. E. Hobbs, 2001. What caused the Early Silurian change from mafic to silicic (S-type) magmatism in the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt? Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 48, 1, pp. 25-41.

* C. L. Fergusson, 2003. Ordovician–Silurian accretion tectonics of the Lachlan Fold Belt, southeastern Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 50, pp. 475-490.

C. L. Fergusson and D. Phillips, 2001. 40Ar/39Ar and K-Ar age constraints on the timing of regional deformation, south coast of New South Wales, Lachlan Fold Belt: problems and implications. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 48, 3, pp. 395-408.

D.R. Gray and R.T. Gregory, 2003. Fault geometry as evidence for inversion of a former rift basin in the Eastern Lachlan Orogen. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 50, 4, pp. 513-523.

* D.I.A. Hood and D.W. Durney, 2002. Sequence and kinematics of multiple deformation around Taemas Bridge, eastern Lachlan fold belt, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 49, 2, pp. 291-309.

E. A. Jagodzinski and L. P. Black, 1999, U-Pb dating of silicic lavas, sills and syneruptive resedimented volcaniclastic deposits of the Lower Devonian Crudine Group, Hill End Trough, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 46, 5, pp. 749-764.

* C. E. Willman, A. H. M. Vandernberg and V. J. Morand, 2002. Evolution of the southeastern Lachlan Fold Belt in Victoria. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 49, 2, pp. 271-289.

Note: This is no an exhaustive list and the library holds many more possibilities.

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Equipment and Cost

Give some thought to the personal equipment that you take on the excursion. Don't just pack the night before!

Field Equipment:
Notebook, map clipboard with waterproof covering, erasers, scale and protractor, grey and coloured pencils, geological hammer, hand lens, compass with clinometer (not essential as we will provide them), sample bag, and basic first-aid kit, water bottles (at least 2litres), camera. In case you get lost (extremely unlikely) bring matches, a torch and a whistle. Equipment can be bought from Prospectors Supplies at Unit 4, 195 Prospect Road, Seven Hills (ph: 9838 7899).

Other important gears:
We will stain in cabin style accommodation at the Good Hope Resort not far from Yass. Each cabin can accommodate up to six occupants.
You will need a warm sleeping bag, gloves, thermals and a warm hat for cold nights and mornings, crockery and cutlery (knife, fork, spoon, plate, bowl, and mug), a broad brimmed hat, sun-glasses, sunblock and lip cream, and your own basic first-aid kit and toiletry set. Bring robust and warm clothing, prefer long-sleeved shirt and pants to tee-shirt and shorts. Stout boots are required for mapping and field work. Weather wise expect anything...and be prepared. A rain-proof jacket (for protection from rain and to act as wind-shell) will be handy as well as a serious dose of good humour in case of prolonged rain.

Costs:
Each participant must pay 180$(amount to be announced soon) to cover the cost of accommodation and transportation from the Good Hope Resort to the field. This must be paid to the University Cashier (Margaret Telfer Building) no late than two weeks before our departure from Sydney. Please tell the cashier that the credit is for the Yass excursion GEOS2124/2924 and must go into account 3200 L1711 00000.

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Camp Rules

We will stay at the Good Hope Resort near Yass. As guests we will behave at all times with appropriate manners. Please keep noise level to a minimum after 10pm, and do not put in jeopardy your safety and that of your colleagues. To maintain a cordial atmosphere be considerate of other people. Drunkenness is no excuse for inappropriate behavior.

As with any field related activities we need collectively to be aware and responsible for each others. Let the organizing committee know of any problems or injuries no matter how small. We will collectively be responsible for keeping the facilities clean and in functioning order.

Participants will be ready to go by 7.50 am in the morning, fieldwork will be finished by 4.30 pm with everybody at the camp by 5.15 pm. Please be considerate of others by being ready on time. Students who are not in the vehicle by 7.50am will have to walk to Mt Erin where the mapping is being done.

It is the responsability of the student to make sure that they don't go in the field without at the least 2 litres of water, sun screen, a broad rimmed hat, some food, and appropriate clothes including a rain jacket. The organizing committee may deny access to the field to participants without appropriate equipment.

Behavior in the field

Fred Patmore and Rob Glover have for many years kindly welcomed students on his farm, however we do not take their help for granted. We hope that this relationship will continue into the future and ask that you act in an appropriate manner when in the field. In particular:

·       Leave gates as you find them.
·       Do not climb or jump over fences. Walk to a gate if possible. Be aware that many fences are electric.
·       Do not walk on crops, new pasture areas or other vulnerable areas.
·       Do not disturb livestock such as sheep, cattle or brood mares, be careful around young animals.
·       Do not light fires.
·       Firearms and dangerous knives are banned at all times. Do not bring any.
·       Take all your rubbish back to the camp for disposal.
·       Do not hammer at limestone outcrops, look for loose fragments if you are collecting a specimen.
·       Do not roll stones down slopes, this may cause damage, to fences, buildings, livestock and people.
·       No alcohol to be consumed in University or hired vehicles used on excursions.

Safety in the field

Fieldwork frequently puts geologists in hazardous situations. Therefore use your common sense in the field and:
·      If someone is injured or is ill in the field, make sure a staff member is informed. There will be first aiders on staff to assist. An incident report form should also be filled out upon returning from the trip if there has been an injury.
·      If there is any situation on the excursion in which you feel unsafe or unconfident, do not proceed. Inform a staff member of your situation.
·      Make sure you have a regular tetanus booster in case you cut yourself on rusty wire or metal. You may not always be close to a vehicle and/or medical help.
·      Carry a small first aid kit and be familiar with the current first aid treatment of injuries such as sprains, cuts, snake bites, heat distress and exposure.
·      Wear adequate, easily visible clothing for the conditions in which you are working. Wear field boots which are suitable for rocky ground.
·      Carry a water bottle and be prepared for strong sun. Use plenty of sun-screen, have a hat and sun-glasses. ·      Do not attempt to climb rock faces.
·      Do not climb fences. This not only ruins the fences, but is dangerous. Walk to a gate if possible. There are many electric fences around the property. Always assume that the fence is electric and is turned on.
·      Always stay as a group. Do not carry out fieldwork by yourself. Do not split into subgroups.
·      Do not drop rocks or any other object over cliffs
·      Do not stand near the edge of significantly vertical drops as the edge may give way.
·      When approaching a rock face, always look up to check if there are loose rocks
·      Do not go swimming unless you have permission and supervision of a staff member.

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Usefull Download (Compulsory Enrolment Forms and Policies)

The School of Geosciences form and policy (click here)must be read, understood, and signed by every participant before attending any excursion. This document has to be returned at the time of payment.

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Field Trip Location

The field exercise is located at Mt Erin on Mr F. Patmore farm a few kilometer from the Good Hope Resort where will be staying from Sunday 23rd Sept until Friday 28th September (5 nights).

Address: Good Hope Resort - Good Hope Resort Road, Via Yass, NSW, NSW 2582 - PO Box 369

Ph and Fax: (02) 6227 1234

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Itenary: How to get there? Where do we stay? How to get back?

This course will be held from the Sunday 23th Sept to the Saturday 28th Sept 2007. Students wlll travel from The University of Sydney and back on buses. We will leave on Sunday 23rd at 8am (Baxter building, H11, Codrington street) and we will return late the following Friday 28th.

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Schedule

Sunday September 23^rf Staff meet students at Sydney University and depart for Yass @ 8am. Do some shopping at Yass and arrive at Good Hope ~ 1pm. After lunch - introduction to the mapping exercise, identification of key stratigraphic fauna, and the use of a compass to measure planar and linear features.

Monday September 24^th Monday morning introductory section of Murrumbidgee and Black Range groups within field mapping area (Mt Erin). Students map for the remainder of the day (demonstrators help in the morning). In the evening students work on their map, cross-sections and keep their field book up to date and tidy.

Tuesday September 25^th students continue to map boundaries and structure of limestone members and igneous lithologies (demonstrators help in the morning). In the evening students work on their map, cross-sections and keep their field book up to date and tidy.

Wednesday September 26^th As per Tuesday. After day in field there will be a trip into Yass to stock-up on supplies.

Thursday September 27^th As per Tuesday

Friday September 28^th pack up in the morning and finish mapping of field area. Depart Yass early afternoon for Sydney. Students hand-in their field notebook, their cross section and their final map.

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