OFR 151.pdf - CRC LEME

margin of plateau were cooler (~7 0 C) during the Early Miocene. High-grade (V) fungal
germlings imply local climates were uniform and very wet (perhumid).
7.8. Time Slice T-5. Late Miocene-Pliocene [11.2-1.78 Ma]
Zones: Monotocidites galeatus/Cingulatisporites bifurcatus to Tubulifloridites
pleistocenicus Zone. Informal Oligospheridium Zones
Figure 12: Late Miocene (10 Ma) palaeogeography (from Veevers et al. 1991)
7.8.1 Palaeogeography
By Late Neogene time, Australia and New Zealand were separated by about 1000 km and the
Australian continent was within 1-2 ° of latitude of its present position relative to South-East
Asia (Figure 12). New Guinea had begun to dock with a number of formerly isolated terranes
in the South-west Pacific. Ongoing collision of the Australian plate against the Banda Arc
affected northern Australia (and regions to the north) in two ways: (1) Folding and
downwarping occurred along the northwestern and northeastern margins during the Late
Miocene (Bradshaw et al. 1988, Muller et al. 2000) and it is probable that intraplate tectonism
in central Australia during the Pliocene reflects the same deformation event. (2) Partial
closure of the Indonesian Seaway blocked the westerly flow (Pacific Equatorial Current) of
warm water from the tropical Pacific Ocean into the north-east Indian Ocean. This event has
had considerable climatic consequences for landmasses bordering the Pacific Basin during the
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