34th International Geological Congress (IGC): AUSTRALIA 2012

Q-9A Granite Belt (including visits to Wineries)
Pre Trip: 2 days 1 night - Friday 3 August to Saturday 4 August 2012
Starts: Brisbane
Finishes: Brisbane
Numbers limited to 30
Cost: $800 per person share twin/double
Single supplement: $68
Trip description: Only three hours drive south west from the subtropical city of Brisbane is a very
different landscape – the cool, mountainous Granite Belt. This region is home to
Bald Mountain (Australia’s “second largest rock monolith”), as well as the large
granitic intrusions of The Pyramids, Balancing Rock and Castle Rock, as well as
orchards and wineries. The trip also includes the World Heritage Rainforests of
Gondwana national parks.
Highlights: Granite Belt scenery, Bald Mountain, Balancing Rock
Trip Leader: Mr Bob Bultitude, Geological Survey of Queensland
Special notes: The trip includes an optional walk for about five kilometres through Girraween
National Park (some steep gradients) and a good level of fitness is required.
Day by day itinerary Day 1 - Friday 3rd August 2012 - Brisbane to Stanthorpe
After breakfast depart Brisbane by coach and travel along the Cunningham
Highway with a short walk at Main Range National Park (Cunninghams Gap); a
part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. The park is
approximately 30,000 hectares, and sits on the western part of the Scenic Rim. This
escarpment is remnant of a shield volcano that was active approximately 24 million
years ago. Basalt lavas formed a gentle sloping shield shaped volcano which may
have reached 1400 metres in altitude. Prolonged erosion has removed mainly
the eastern side of the volcano, leaving exposed intrusive plugs and dykes. There
is a diversity of plant communities, ranging from subtropical and cool temperate
rainforest, to wet and dry sclerophyll forest.
Continue on to Stanthorpe and to Girraween National Park. Girraween is an
Aboriginal word meaning “Place of Flowers”, and the park is famous for its massive
granite outcrops and large angular tors, as well as eucalypt forests, sedgelands,
and heathlands. The park covers an area of approximately 12,000 Hectares, with
an average elevation of 900 metres. Visit various sites including the region of The
Pyramid and Castle Rock. There will be optional walks in the park, ranging from 1
to 5 km.
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