Sign in
Back
Chronology and evolution of the world's largest sand island: K'gari (Fraser Island), South East Queensland, Australia
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Chronology and evolution of the world's largest sand island: K'gari (Fraser Island), South East Queensland, Australia

J Schulmeister, T M Rittenour, N R Patton, D Ellerton, A Gontz, P A Hesp, T Santini, G Miot da Silva, S Forman, H Bowyer, …
Quarternary Science Reviews, Vol.328, pp.1-16
2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108529
pdf
Chronology and evolution of the world's largest sand island_ K'gari (Fraser Island), South East Queensland, Australia19.45 MBDownloadView
Published VersionCC BY V4.0,  Open Access

Abstract

parabolic dunes sea-level rise OSL coastal dunes passive margin Australia World heritage area
K'gari in South East Queensland, Australia, is the world's largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Area. The island is covered by extensive coastal dune fields that have been divided into seven morphological units (the Awinya, Yankee Jack, Bowarrady, Triangle Cliff, Freshwater, Station Hill, and Cape). Optically-Stimulated Luminescence dating of the dune sequences indicate that the Awinya unit is > 340 ka, and the Yankee Jack and Bowarrady units are ca. 180 ka old. Holocene dune sequences comprise Triangle Cliff (ca. 8.5 ka); Freshwater (ca. 4 ka); Station Hill (ca. 1.5 ka) and Cape (ca. < 0.5 ka). Combining these data with dune ages from the adjacent Cooloola Sand Mass, we demonstrate that for at least the last three glacial cycles the dunes were emplaced during intermediate to high sea-levels. At shorter time intervals (decades to centuries), some dune formation is affected by storminess. Initial formation of the dune field occurred in the mid-Pleistocene, but the most recent widespread stabilisation of dunes occurred late in Marine Isotope Stage 7 (MIS 7: 190–240 ka). The preservation of dunes relates to antecedent topography coupled with the duration and height of individual interglacial high sea-stands. This research confirms K'gari as an outstanding example of geomorphological processes and supports its World Heritage listing.

Details

Metrics

Logo image