Australia’s Geoheritage: History of Study, A New Inventory of Geosites and Applications to Geotourism and Geoparks

Abstract

Databases of geosites for the continent

The Palaeontological Heritage of Santa Maria Island (Azores: NE Atlantic): a Re-evaluation of Geosites in GeoPark Azores and Their Use in Geotourism

“…This methodology includes: (1) inventory and characterization of the geosites; (2) the use of numerical indices to evaluate the relevance and subsequent ranking of the geosites (see Appendix for further information); (3) implementation of a palaeontological and geological conservation strategy, including the promotion of the palaeontological assets for tourism; and (4) monitoring of the changes over time of selected geosites (Barettino et al 2000;Cachão and da Silva 2004;Brilha 2005Brilha , 2006; Reis and Henriques 2009;Henriques et al 2011;ProGEO 2011;Endere and Prado 2014;Joyce 2010;Lima et al 2010Lima et al , 2014.…”

“…Thus, recent work has consistently produced general cross sections of the overall sequences and detailed composite columnar sections for each outcrop, displaying the most relevant body fossils and trace fossils, the internal sedimentary structures, and the contacts between volcanic and sedimentary units. This was done for the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene outcrops of Pedra-que-pica (Kirby et al 2007;Habermann 2011), Cré (Janssen et al 2008), Figueiral (Habermann 2010), Pedreira do Campo (Habermann 2010), Ponta do Castelo (Meireles et al 2013), as well as the Pleistocene deposits of Prainha and Lagoinhas (Callapez and Soares 2000;Ávila et al 2002, 2010Amen et al 2005) and Vinha Velha (Ávila et al 2015). Work is also being carried out to provide a formal geological description for many other fossiliferous outcrops (e.g.…”

“…Ponta do Castelo portrays a set of specific conditions which allowed the preservation of a shelf tempestite deposit for which its precise water depth could be inferred and additionally provides a good proxy for island uplift or subsidence reconstructions; Pedra-que-pica is probably the most extensive fossiliferous, multispecific coquina from the shelf ever reported in the literature of any of the ∼20,000 known volcanic oceanic islands in the world. For instance, whereas the fossil fauna found at Pedra-que-pica is predominantly allochthonous and transported from shallower depths that found at Ponta do Castelo is a mixture of allochthonous and autochthonous elements (Meireles et al 2013 (Ávila et al 2002, 2010Kirby et al 2007; Habermann 2010). Furthermore, they represent distinct marine palaeoenvironments (lower shore intertidal in Prainha versus inner to middle-shelf environment in Figueiral).…”

Geosystems as a Framework for Geoconservation: the Case of Japan’s Izu Peninsula Geopark

“…Newsome et al (2012) define geotourism as a form of tourism which is "…geologically focused, environmentally educative… and fostering local community beliefs" (21). The earliest accepted definition of geotourism was provided by Hose (1995) and subsequently expanded and revised by scholars such as Hose (2000), Joyce (2010), and Dowling and Newsome (2006). Defining geotourism has witnessed some degree of controversy; an alternative definition was provided by the National Geographic Society and the work of Jonathan Tourtellot.…”

Antarctica-to-Western Australia Liquid Freshwater Shipments Using Stauber Bags in a Paternoster-Like Transfer System: Inaugurating a Southern Ocean Antidrought Action Sea-Lane

“…So, the coincidence of Stauber bag sheltering geography near Perth is very fortunate. It must be noted, however, that ''outstanding and representative coastal sites form a significant part of the Australian inventory of Geoheritage sites'' (Joyce, 2010). The flexibility of our delivery system ought to make it possible to avoid such preserved sites attractive to tourists and suitable for recreational and preservation parklands.…”