GEOLOGICAL EXCURSIONS
The rocks found along the coast from South Durras to south of Bermagui provide tantalising glimpses of the geological history of this part of the south coast of New South Wales.
Come and join us on a series of four excursions to discover half a billion years of history in our region. We’ll be taking three trips to headlands between Tomakin and Bingie, followed by a fourth to South Durras. Notes for each site will be provided.
 
You are welcome to come along to all or any of the trips.

• Each trip takes 2-3 hours.
• All trips include visiting national parks.
• Wear suitable walking shoes/boots.
• WET WEATHER PLAN: event will be postponed

 
Trip 1- Sunday 29 September: Melville Point (Tomakin) to Mullimburra Point
visiting three sites, with short walks at each site
 
Meet at the lower car park at Melville Point, Tomakin at 10.00am
First see the oldest rocks in our area (approx. 500 million years old). Then self-drive to Shelly Beach to see approx. 460 million-year-old “turbidites” that were laid down directly above the rocks at Melville point. Finally drive to Mullimburra Point to see the “turbidites” intruded by 385 million-year-old granites.
  
Trip 2 – Sunday 13 October: Bingie Point
 
Meet at Bingie Point car park at 10.00am
Track can be narrow and uneven with tree roots and goes across rocks, unsuitable for those with walking difficulties
See the relationship between two types of granitic rocks and younger fine-grained rocks that have intruded them.
  
Trip 3 – Sunday 27 October: Congo
 
Meet at eastern end Congo camping ground at 10.00am
See 30 million-year-old basalts in the cliffs and rock platform showing weathering patterns & columnar jointing.
 
 Trip 4 - Sunday 10 November: South Durras
 
Meet at car park opposite entrance to Murramarang Resort at 10.00am
See 260 million-year-old sandstone at the base of the Sydney Basin, including “drop stones” from old glaciers, fossil worm casts, fossil shells, fascinating ironstone formations and a narrow dolerite dyke. Walk to Dark Beach to see where these rocks sit directly above the 500 million-year-old rocks that are part of the same sequence seen at Melville Point on Trip 1.
This trip gives some idea of what might have been happening during the time between the formation of the 385 million-year-old Bingie Point rocks and the 30 million-year-old basalts at Congo.