The putative pre-Cenozoic age of Waddikee Rocks, Koongawa, northern Eyre Peninsula, South Australia

ABSTRACT

The Waddikee Rocks are located on northern Eyre Peninsula. They are unusual because of their migmatitic composition. They are also associated with the fate of the early explorer of the region, J.C. Darke. The hills are upstanding because of the massive character of the country rock, by contrast with the gneiss that underlies the adjacent areas and which has been weathered to produce a ferruginised (possibly lateritic) regolith. The possible correlation of the latter and the laterite of the Gulfs region is discussed, as is its implication for the age of the Waddikee Rocks, for the age of duricrust can be extrapolated to indicate the likely age of the upland.

KEYWORDS:

• Migmatite
• laterites
• stratigraphy
• J.C. Darke
• Mesozoic

Acknowledgements

The author thanks two anonymous referees for constructive comments, the late Jennie Bourne and Alan Watchman for company in the field and Debbie Hagger for the preparation of the maps and line drawings.