Kanawinka Geopark
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Kanawinka Geopark , “Land of Tomorrow” is the name of a structurally controlling geological fault line that extends from the Narracoorte Caves in South Australia into Western Victoria before disappearing offshore at Portland. Also in 1910 it was used as a Parish name for the area around Casterton and Coleraine.
The reason for naming the Geopark Kanawinka is:
- The fault line links both states and therefor both sections of the park.
- It links the Geopark to the local indigenous culture.
- The meaning – Land of Tomorrow, seems appropriate for promoting today’s geology for future generations.
Through its previous use as a Shire/Parish name it is given a historical link to European Settlement.
Declared Australia's First National Geopark in September 2006, the Geopark, a significant portion of a geological area known as the Otway Basin (Douglas et.al 1988), occupies an area of some 26,910 square kilometers across two States and 9 Shire Councils with some 374 volcanic sites and many significant geological sites and formations.
This basin occupies the southern margins of South Australia and Victoria as well as a significant portion located offshore. This basin formed when Australia rifted away from Gondwanaland (the southern super continent) and although estimates vary as to the exact time of plate separation it is thought that this may have occurred about 95 million years ago Drexel et.al 1993) . The sequence of sediments in the basin was deposited from Jurassic through to recent times.
The area located within South Australia, commonly called the lower South East or in more recent times, the Limestone Coast, borders with the World Heritage area of Naracoorte Caves... The area within Victoria is generally known as the Western Districts. Both areas are famous for their cheese, wine, forestry and rural industries.
The proposed park at its eastern extremity in Victoria is located only about one hour's drive from that State’s capital city of Melbourne. At the Victorian/ South Australian Border the distance is about four and a half to five hours drive from Melbourne. In the South Australian section it is located four to five hours' drive from that State’s capital city of Adelaide.
Victoria is a smaller state in terms of land area but with a much larger population and the capital city of Melbourne has about 5 million people. In contrast South Australia is much larger in terms of land area but with a much smaller population and the major city of Adelaide has a demographic of about 1.5 million people. Total population of Australia is deemed to be 20 million this year.
Volcanic activity in Victoria younger than 7 million years is known as the Newer Volcanics Province or Newer basalts. Most of the volcanism is estimated to have taken place from about 5 million years before present (B.P.) to around 5,000 years ago.
Included are 6 sites of International Significance, 14 of National significance along with many of state, regional and local significance. (Geological Survey of Australia Victorian Division and the Standing Committee on Geoheritage, National Estate listings 1980). The region varies from volcanic basalt plains dotted with eruption points through to limestone caves and crater lakes to the ‘Terra Rosa’ of the Coonawarra, with its wonderful wines.
The basalt plains of Western Victoria are listed in the top 6 in the World for extent and complexity, and the Blue Lake of Mount Gambier is of International significance with its unique colour change each year. (Sheard, M. 1978)
The Kanawinka Geopark Board is a community based organization funded by 7 of the 9 Shire Councils and has been the driving factor in the Geopark proposal, now supported by Tourism Victoria , South Australian Tourism Commission , The National Trust and the Geological Society of Australia along with the Management bodies of the Sites of Significance of the region.
