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Geology

Geology and geography of the Georges River

There are three main geological layers in the Georges River catchment that can be seen along the river's route through south western Sydney.

Archibald Liversidge: Imperial Science Under the Southern Cross

Biography of Archibald Liversidge by Professor Roy MacLeod published in 2009.

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Clarke Medal

Award presented since 1878 for distinguished work in the geology, botany and zoology. It was named for William Branwhite Clarke.

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Excavation of Sheas Creek 1896

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The earliest recorded excavation of an Aboriginal archaeological site in Sydney which was conducted during the construction of the Alexandra Canal by Robert Etheridge Jnr, Professor TW Edgeworth David and HW Grimshaw. Artefacts included incised skeletal remains of a dugong and stone tool fragments now in the Australian Museum have been radiocarbon dated to over 6000 years old.

Hawkesbury sandstone

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Quartz rich sedimentary rock formed in the Triassic age that is found throught out the Sydney basin. Named after the region around the Hawkesbury River in Sydney's north where it's very common, it is often called Sydney sandstone. The golden yellow stone has been used as building material across the city, given Sydney's historical buildings their distinctive glow.

Lovers Leap, Maroota

Sandstone escarpment on the Hawkesbury River at Upper Crescent Reach, Portland Head. The Darug and Darkinyung name for the landmark is probably Yerumbola, recorded in 1829.

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Portland Head Rock

Sandstone escarpment on the Hawkesbury River (Dyarubbin), so named because settlers thought the rock resembled the profile of an English prime minister, the Duke of Portland. The area became known as Portland Head, and the river downstream as Lower Portland Head. The Aboriginal name for the landmark was probably Dakal, recorded in 1829.

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Quaternary sediments

Estuarine and river sands and gravels laid down by flood or wind in the Sydney basin over the last two million years, during the current Quaternary period.

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Wianamatta shale

Uppermost layer of fine sedimentary rock laid down by a delta in the Triassic Period over the older Hawkesbury sandstone.

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Branagan, David Francis

Geologist, lecturer and author.

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Clarke, William Branwhite

Clergyman and geologist who acted as scientific adviser to the government during the gold rushes.

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Cotton, Leo Arthur

Professor of Geology at the University of Sydney

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David, Edgeworth

Geologist and professor at the University of Sydney who accompanied Shackleton and Mawson to the south magnetic pole.

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Etheridge, Robert

Palaeontologist, museum director and author of over 350 publications which were the basis of the the classification and correlation of the coalfields, goldfields, artesian water basins, oilfields, and other mineral deposits of the country.

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Hill, Edward Smith

Wine and spirit merchant who was also a naturalist and a Trustee at the Australian Museum. He was a supporter of Aboriginal people, learning the Sydney language and gave lectures on culture. Aboriginal vistors to Sydney would camp at his house in Woollahra.

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Jones, Gil

Historian, geologist and author.

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Liversidge, Archibald

Geologist and chemist who worked tirelessly to promote the study and application of science through the University of Sydney and many scientific societies.

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Mawson, Douglas

English-born geologist best known for his exploratory expeditions to Antarctica.

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Strzelecki, Paul Edmund de

Polish explorer and scientist, who although self taught, conducted an extensive geological survey of the colonies and laid the basis of Australian palaeontology.

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Guldulo

Guldulo, or Goodoolo is an area of Portland Reach on the Hawkesbury that was pointed out by the Aboriginal people sharing information with Rev John McGarvie as he recorded a list of place names in use by the local Darug and Darkinyung people along the river in 1829. The word probably means flint/hard stone for spear points, suggesting that this area was a source for the stone, or that stone points were made here.

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