1.1 Ga |
Australia first joined to Antarctica. At this time
the the
MacDonnell Ranges,
Porongurup Ranges and East Mount Barren were
formed, probably as a shock-absorbing mechanism of the weaker parts of
the crust as the Australian continent slammed into Antarctica at the start of the
formation of
Rodinia.
|
750 Ma |
Rodinia
broke |
700 Ma |
The time that the controversial glacial phase called by some
"snowball
Earth" began that some believe was so widespread and intense
that it may have come close to extermination life. |
600 Ma |
Pannotia, a supercontinent that is believed to have formed
about 300 Ma and lasted for about 30 million years. |
525 Ma. |
Early
Cambrian. Australia was at the northern end of Gondwana,
as its
eastern coast was facing north. |
490 Ma |
Tremadocian. Australia is still at the northern end of
Gondwana, but has moved slightly south, its western coast now
touches the Equator. |
458 Ma |
Middle
Ordovician. Australia has moved a bit further south.
The west coast is now south of the Equator. |
435 Ma |
Middle
Silurian. About 1/3 of the continent is south of the
Equator, which is on the north-south axis of the continent. The
west coast still facing south. |
400 Ma |
Early
Devonian. Australia is now south of the
Equator in the orientation of the present with the tip of Cape
York touching the Equator. |
370 Ma |
Late
Devonian. Australia is now half way between the Equator
and 45oS latitude. It has a similar orientation to the present.
|
355 Ma |
Early
Carboniferous. Australia straddles the 45oS latitude,
the present north coast facing north. |
306 Ma |
Late
Carboniferous. Australia is now south of the 45o S |
280 Ma |
Sakmarian-Artinskian. Australia is still south of 45oS close
to the South Pole, on the eastern end of Gondwana. |
255 Ma |
Kazanian. Australia is still near the South Pole. The
present north coast is tending to face north east. |
235 Ma |
Early
Triassic. Partly above the 45oS latitude, on the
eastern end of Gondwana. |
225 Ma |
Pangaea
formed |
215 Ma |
Late
Triassic. The 45oS latitude passes through about the
middle of the continent along the north-south axis. |
195 Ma |
Early
Jurassic. Australia hasn't changed position much, but
has rotated slightly to the east. |
180 Ma |
Pangaea
broke up. |
160 Ma |
Middle
Jurassic. Australia has moved further south. |
132 Ma |
Valanginian. Australia has returned to near the South Pole.
|
110 Ma |
Early
Cretaceous-Sea level rose, reached a maximum level at about
110 million years ago as continents separated from Gondwana,
then dropped again by the end of the Late
Cretaceous |
102 Ma |
Albian. Australia has moved north so that the tips of
northern Australia are just north of the 45oS latitude. |
70 Ma |
Maastrichtian. Australia has moved further north so that
northern Australia is north of 45oS latitude. The break
from Antarctica has begun. |
43 Ma |
Middle
Eocene. Australia has moved further north, the 45oS
latitude now passes through the top 1/3 of the continent along
the east-west axis. Has separated from Antarctica. |
15 Ma |
Middle
Miocene. Has moved further north. Only Tasmania and
parts of Victoria are south of the 45oS latitude.
|