The Evergreen Formation is a
Pliensbachian to
Toarcian
The Toarcian is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy, ICS' geologic timescale, an age (geology), age and stage (stratigraphy), stage in the Early Jurassic, Early or Lower Jurassic. It spans the time between 184.2 Megaannum, Ma (million ...
geologic
formation of the
Surat Basin in
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
and
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
, eastern Australia. Traditionally it has been considered to be a unit whose age has been calculated in between the
Pliensbachian and
Toarcian
The Toarcian is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy, ICS' geologic timescale, an age (geology), age and stage (stratigraphy), stage in the Early Jurassic, Early or Lower Jurassic. It spans the time between 184.2 Megaannum, Ma (million ...
stages of the
Early Jurassic
The Early Jurassic Epoch (geology), Epoch (in chronostratigraphy corresponding to the Lower Jurassic series (stratigraphy), Series) is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic Period. The Early Jurassic starts immediately after the Triassic� ...
, with some layers suggested to reach the
Aalenian stage of the
Middle Jurassic
The Middle Jurassic is the second Epoch (geology), epoch of the Jurassic Period (geology), Period. It lasted from about 174.1 to 161.5 million years ago. Fossils of land-dwelling animals, such as dinosaurs, from the Middle Jurassic are relativel ...
, yet modern data has found that an Early Pliensbachian to Latest Toarcian age is more possible.
The formation was named due to the "Evergreen Shales", defined with a lower unit, the Boxvale Sandstone, and a partially coeval, partially younger upper unit, the Westgrove Ironstone Member.
This unit overlies the
Hettangian
The Hettangian is the earliest age and lowest stage of the Jurassic Period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 201.3 ± 0.2 Ma and 199.3 ± 0.3 Ma (million years ago). The Hettangian follows the Rhaetian (part of the Triass ...
-
Sinemurian
In the geologic timescale, the Sinemurian is an age (geology), age and stage (stratigraphy), stage in the Early Jurassic, Early or Lower Jurassic epoch (geology), Epoch or series (stratigraphy), Series. It spans the time between 199.5 ±0.3 annu ...
Precipice Sandstone, as well several informal units such as the
Nogo Beds, and
Narayen beds, as well
Torsdale Volcanics.
[ This unit likely was deposited in a massive lacustrine body with possible marine environment influences.]
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Fossil content
Indeterminate Unionoid bivalves are know from the Kolane Station.[
]
Ichnofossils
Diplopoda
Vertebrata
Phytoplankton
Bryophyta
Lycophyta
Pteridophyta
Peltaspermales
Cycadophyta
Conifers
References
Further reading
*{{cite journal , last1=Warren , first1=A. , title=Jurassic labyrinthodont , journal=Nature , date=1977 , volume=265 , issue=2 , pages=436–437 , doi=10.1038/265436b0 , bibcode=1977Natur.265..436W , url=https://www.nature.com/articles/265436b0 , access-date=31 May 2023, url-access=subscription
Jurassic System of Australia
Pliensbachian Stage
Toarcian Stage
Sandstone formations
Siltstone formations
Mudstone formations
Lacustrine deposits
Paleontology in New South Wales
Paleontology in Queensland