The relation of the structural evolution of the Macouarie syncline to sedimentation in the moon island beach sub‐group, New South Wales

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Abstract
The Moon Island Beach Sub‐group is the top sub‐group of the Permian Newcastle Coal Measures. It crops out only along the coast near Newcastle; the geology has been detailed by over 200 bores which have penetrated the section over the northeastern part of the Sydney Basin. An analysis of the structure‐thickness relations of the sediments and coals in the Moon Island Beach Sub‐group is presented. Trend‐surface analysis of the thickness data in the Macquarie Syncline, the main structural feature of the area, indicates that sedimentation was controlled at both regional and local scale by a persistent tectonic subsidence pattern. Apart from the homoclinal deformation the structural features of the area have been preserved, and the present structure is a simple intensification of the Permian subsidence pattern. Superimposed on the persistent contemporary subsidence pattern were ephemeral subsidence patterns induced by the differential compaction of the fine and coarse sediments. Analysis of the thickness variations indicates that a regional tectonic subsidence to the northeast prevailed during the Late Permian, in contrast with the present dip direction and the palaeoslope direction.

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