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Tweed Volcano

Tweed Volcano is an extinct spanning northeastern and southeastern , , with a of approximately 100 and centered on the volcanic plug. Formed around 23 million years ago during the Early as the moved over a , it erupted for about three million years, building a massive dome-shaped structure that rose over 2 above sea level through successive flows of and rhyolite lavas. The volcano's activity occurred in three main phases: initial basaltic eruptions forming the Beechmont and Lismore flows, followed by explosive rhyolitic activity that contributed to formation, and concluding with quieter basaltic phases like the Blue Knob and Hobwee flows. Today, heavily eroded over the past 20 million years, it exposes the largest erosion in the , exceeding 40 in width and 1,000 m in depth, encompassing fertile landscapes, radial ridges, deep valleys, and notable features such as columnar basalts at Fingal Head and rhyolitic gorges in . As part of the ancient Eastern Australian chain, Tweed Volcano represents a key that influenced regional and soil fertility, now recognized as a Landscape of National Significance known as "Australia's Green Cauldron."

Location and geography

Coordinates and extent

The Tweed Volcano is centered at approximately 28°24′S 153°16′E, with (Wollumbin) marking the central that represents the remnant summit of the ancient shield. This position places the volcano in the far northeastern corner of , , near the border with . Originally, the shield volcano extended across approximately 100 km in diameter, encompassing a broad volcanic pile that spanned northeastern and southeastern , from areas near Lismore in the south to Tamborine in the north. Its lavas and associated features influenced a wide region, contributing to the formation of surrounding plateaus and ranges. Extensive erosion over millions of years has shaped the modern boundaries into an erosion approximately 40 km in diameter, forming the fertile Tweed Valley that straddles the Wales-Queensland border. This is bounded by steep escarpments and is integral to the local geography, with the volcano's remnants integrated into the , particularly influencing the McPherson and Tweed Ranges that define much of the regional topography.

Topography and surrounding features

The Tweed Volcano, now heavily eroded, features a prominent central remnant in the form of (also known as Wollumbin), which stands as the highest point at 1,156 meters above and represents the exposed of the ancient . This rugged peak rises sharply from the surrounding landscape, forming a distinctive erosional that defines the regional . Prior to extensive over millions of years, the volcano is estimated to have reached heights of up to 2 kilometers, creating a broad shield structure that dominated the northeastern and southeastern skyline. The volcano's is characterized by radial patterns and elevated erosional remnants that form surrounding plateaus and ranges. To the north lie the and Springbrook Plateaus, while the Ranges and extend westward and northwestward, with the Nightcap Range bordering to the south; these features are the dissected remnants of the original volcanic edifice, capped by resistant layers and dropping to lower valleys through steep escarpments. The originates within the , flowing eastward from the slopes near through deep gorges and fertile valleys before reaching the , its course shaped by the volcano's post-eruptive dissection. The volcanic soils derived from the eroded and associated materials are notably fertile, supporting extensive in the Tweed Valley, including major crops such as , bananas, and other subtropical fruits, as well as grazing. This alluvial enrichment, combined with high rainfall in the elevated terrains, has fostered productive floodplains along system, contrasting with the rugged, forested highlands of the surrounding ranges.

Geological history

Age and formation

The Tweed Volcano, also known as the Tweed Shield Volcano, originated in the Early epoch, with volcanic activity commencing approximately 23 million years ago (Ma). Rock dating methods, including radiometric analyses, confirm that the initial eruptions marked the volcano's emergence as part of a broader volcanic track in eastern . This timing aligns with the northernmost position in a chain of central volcanoes formed as the migrated over a . The formation process began with hotspot-driven , leading to the of a characterized by effusive basaltic eruptions that built a broad, dome-shaped structure. These low-viscosity lavas flowed extensively over a wide area, accumulating to form low-angle slopes typical of shield volcanoes, with the edifice eventually reaching over 2 kilometers in height and spanning from present-day Lismore in the south to Tamborine in the north. The hotspot origin facilitated prolonged ascent through a thinned , enabling the initial constructive phase dominated by fluid basaltic outflows rather than explosive events. Volcanic activity persisted for about 2 to 3 million years, encompassing a continuous shield-building of effusive eruptions followed by more explosive rhyolitic events toward the conclusion of the cycle. Recent indicates activity from approximately 24 to 20 Ma. This duration is evidenced by stratigraphic sequences showing multiple lava flow phases at irregular intervals. The transition to rhyolitic activity likely reflected crustal and volatile accumulation, marking the volcano's from dominantly effusive to intermittently explosive before quiescence.

Tectonic setting

The Tweed Volcano is part of the East Australian chain, a extensive volcanic extending along the eastern margin of the , and is closely linked to the volcanic . This chain represents the longest continental hotspot track on , spanning over 2,000 kilometers from northern to southern , formed by volcanic activity over the past 35 million years. The volcano itself developed as a prominent structure within this sequence, associated with the Comboyne hotspot track that includes the adjacent Main . In the broader regional context, the Tweed Volcano's formation occurred during the late stages of Gondwana's breakup and the associated rifting of the Coral Sea basin, which initiated around 90 million years ago and continued influencing eastern Australian tectonics into the Cenozoic era. As the drifted northward at approximately 7 centimeters per year, it passed over a fixed , triggering intraplate unrelated to or . This plate motion positioned the Tweed region directly above the hotspot during the early , approximately 23 million years ago, enabling prolonged magmatic upwelling. The driving mechanism for the volcano's development was an upwelling beneath the , a deep-seated thermal anomaly that generated basaltic melts through decompression melting in the . This plume dynamics mirror those responsible for other volcanic features in the eastern Australian hotspot chain. Paleomagnetic evidence indicates that these hotspots have remained largely stationary relative to the Earth's spin axis, with any minor southward drift (less than 370 kilometers over 30 million years) consistent with global rather than plume migration. The Volcano precedes younger manifestations of the chain, such as the volcanic province in , which erupted around 5 million years ago as the plate continued its northward progression. Consequently, the Tweed region has experienced no volcanic activity for over 20 million years, as it has long since moved away from the underlying , leaving the plume to influence more southerly locations.

Volcanic features

Type and eruptive style

Tweed Volcano is classified as a , characterized by its broad, gently sloping flanks formed primarily through the accumulation of fluid basaltic lava flows. This morphology resulted in a low-profile dome structure, with the original edifice spanning approximately 100 km in diameter and rising over 2 km above before extensive . The eruptive style of Tweed Volcano was predominantly effusive during its early and late stages, involving the outpouring of basaltic lavas that covered vast areas of the surrounding landscape. These phases produced extensive lava flows, such as the Beechmont and Lismore basalts initially, followed by quieter Blue Knob and Hobwee flows toward the end. In contrast, an intermediate phase featured more explosive activity, with violent eruptions of rhyolitic that ejected , agglomerates, and ash, contributing to the formation of tuffs and deeper gorges, with the overall structure resulting from subsequent . Overall, the volcano is estimated to have erupted approximately 4,000 km³ of material over its approximately 1.2-million-year active period (ca. 24.3–23.1 Ma), building a structure similar to classic Hawaiian shield volcanoes but distinguished by explosive events driven by s.

Magma composition

The magmas erupted by Tweed Volcano are predominantly tholeiitic basalts, characterized by relatively low and silica contents compared to other series, with subordinate calc-alkaline basalts exhibiting higher aluminum and enrichment. Later stages include minor alkaline basalts, transitional in and marking a shift toward more undersaturated, potassic melts. These primary mafic compositions reflect derivation from of sources beneath a continental hotspot. Felsic components, primarily rhyolites, comprise a significant portion of the volcanic succession and indicate extensive coupled with crustal interaction, as evidenced by elevated radiogenic ratios (e.g., high ^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr values). These rhyolites formed through processes such as of the lower crust or of continental material by ascending magmas. Mineralogically, the basalts feature phenocrysts and groundmass of , clinopyroxene (often ), plagioclase (typically to ), and opaque oxides like , with variable amounts of interstitial glass. In contrast, rhyolites are dominated by and alkali feldspar (sanidine or ) phenocrysts, accompanied by minor plagioclase and accessory phases such as or . Magma evolution at Tweed Volcano began with primitive mafic hotspot melts from the asthenospheric , which underwent fractional —primarily of , , and —to produce more evolved compositions. This process, combined with mixing and crustal , led to the generation of siliceous magmas, as demonstrated by trends (e.g., increasing incompatible elements like Zr and Nb) and isotopic signatures indicating up to 20-30% crustal contribution in units. Such evolution contributed to varied eruptive styles, with compositions favoring effusive flows and ones promoting explosive activity.

Stratigraphy

Basaltic units

The basaltic units of the Tweed Volcano form the primary effusive components of its volcanic sequence, consisting of extensive sheet-like lava flows that built the foundational structure. These units comprise two main phases: lower/early and upper/late series, with a total distribution covering an approximately 80 by 100 km area across northeastern and southeastern . The flows exhibit predominantly tholeiitic compositions, with variations toward transitional and mildly alkaline affinities in higher units, and were erupted during the Early between roughly 24.3 and 23.1 Ma. The Lower/Early Series comprises the Lismore Basalt in the southern portion and its equivalents, such as the Beechmont Basalt to the north, representing thick tholeiitic flows that established the shield base. These basalts are predominantly tholeiitic andesites with minor icelandite and sporadic mildly alkaline variants, forming multiple thin flows rarely exceeding 10 m in individual thickness but accumulating to significant volumes as the initial volcanic pile. Capping the sequence after the intervening rhyolitic phase, the Upper/Late Series consists of the Blue Knob Basalt in the south and the Hobwee Basalt in the north, characterized by alkalic traits within an overall tholeiitic composition, including olivine- or quartz-normative varieties with and rare phenocrysts. These flows reach up to 350 m thick in places, such as at Blue Knob, where they overlie earlier units and form prominent plateau caps on ranges like the Nightcap and McPherson.

Rhyolitic units

The rhyolitic units of the Tweed Volcano represent the volcanic rocks erupted during the early , primarily as lava domes, flows, and minor deposits, marking a shift to more evolved compositions within the shield volcano's . These units overlie earlier basaltic formations and reflect advanced processes in the underlying . The Nimbin Rhyolite, exposed primarily in northeastern , consists of a complex of coalescing rhyolite lava domes and flows erupted on the volcano's flanks. These are characterized by flow-banded textures, with crystal-poor varieties containing less than 5 vol.% phenocrysts and crystal-rich variants holding 10-30 vol.%, including , sanidine, , orthopyroxene, minor clinopyroxene, and . A minor component, mainly lapilli , accompanies the flows. The unit formed through of basaltic parent magmas, leading to highly siliceous compositions, with subsequent rejuvenation from mafic inputs raising pre-eruptive temperatures by approximately 100°C and enabling effusive emplacement of degassed lavas up to 5 km from vents. The Binna Burra Rhyolite, its equivalent on the side, comprises potassic, two-feldspar rhyolite flows and associated deposits in the northern sector of the volcano. It features highly fractionated trace elements, such as low K/ ratios below 100 and depletions in , Ba, and alongside enrichments in , U, and , with phenocrysts of , sanidine, , ilmenite, and rare Fe-rich fluor-biotite equilibrating at 800–950°C. This unit, representing about 7 vol.% of the Tweed Shield's total volume, also results from extensive of basaltic magmas at the -feldspar minimum, with intercalated basaltic layers indicating episodic mafic recharge. Collectively, these rhyolitic units reach thicknesses up to 500 m in the Nimbin area, with individual flows attaining 100 m, though thinner sections around 100 m occur in the Springbrook portion of the Binna Burra Rhyolite; they are concentrated along the margins of the erosion , covering approximately 400 km² in the central and northern regions. The compositional from underlying basalts to these rhyolites underscores progressive , culminating in viscous, siliceous melts prone to dome formation and localized explosive venting.

Intrusive complex

The Mount Warning Complex represents the plutonic of the Tweed Volcano, exposed as a rugged central plug rising to 1,156 m above and encompassing an elliptical area approximately 5.5 by 8 km. This intrusive body primarily consists of a central mass of surrounded by a band of gabbroic rocks, with an inner of trachyandesite; associated features include stocks and a prominent syenitic ring dyke along the western margin. Granitic intrusions and microsyenite dykes further characterize the complex, forming part of a broader network of stocks and swarms concentrated in the central 10–15 km zone. The composition of these intrusives is predominantly alkaline, featuring minerals such as and alkali feldspars, which reflect fractionated, late-stage magmatic processes within the volcano's evolution. Gabbros exhibit evidence of crystal fractionation, while the syenites indicate prior before emplacement, highlighting independent pathways for intrusive and extrusive magmas. These rocks intrude into older volcanic and sedimentary country rocks, with chilling textures observed at contacts, underscoring rapid cooling against the host materials. Extensive has unmasked the intrusive complex, stripping away the overlying volcanic pile to reveal its internal structure and relations to the broader . The complex served as a feeder system for the surface volcanics of the Tweed Volcano, including basaltic and rhyolitic units, during its activity.

Erosion and landscape evolution

Caldera development

Following the cessation of volcanic activity around 20 million years ago, the Tweed Volcano underwent profound erosional modification through differential and processes. Over this period, approximately 1,500–2,000 meters of the upper volcanic edifice were removed, primarily from the eastern and northern flanks, resulting in the formation of the expansive Tweed . The dominant erosional mechanisms involved fluvial incision by radial systems and mass-wasting events, which selectively targeted less resistant lithologies such as basaltic flows and tuffs while preserving more durable rhyolitic domes and intrusions. This differential hollowed out the central region, exploiting structural weaknesses to carve a broad approximately 40 kilometers in . Recognized as the largest erosion caldera in the , the Tweed structure exceeds 1,000 in depth from rim to floor, surpassing the of many intact igneous worldwide. The region's persistently high annual rainfall, often exceeding 2,000 millimeters in upland areas, has significantly intensified these fluvial and gravitational processes, facilitating the deep dissection observed over the ensuing 20 million years.

Preserved remnants

The preserved remnants of the Tweed Volcano include several prominent volcanic plugs and landforms that represent the surviving core and peripheral features of the ancient shield volcano. , standing at 1,159 meters, is the most iconic remnant, forming the central that exposes the solidified of the volcano's summit. In the Currumbin Valley, additional plugs such as Pinnacle and Dinsey Rock reveal secondary vents and dykes that intruded into the surrounding rocks during the volcano's activity. Along the at Fingal Head, columnar s from the Tweed lavas form distinctive hexagonal columns, resulting from the cooling of thick basalt flows that reached the ancient shoreline approximately 23 million years ago. The high plateaus surrounding the , such as Springbrook and , persist as basalt-capped mesas that preserve thick sequences of the volcano's lava flows. These plateaus, part of the northern flank of the Tweed Volcano, reach elevations up to around 900 meters on Springbrook and over 1,100 meters along the McPherson Range crest in , where the resistant basalt layers protect underlying rhyolitic and sedimentary rocks. These features expose stratigraphic units including basaltic lavas and associated pyroclastics, as detailed in broader stratigraphic studies of the region. Preservation is uneven across the volcano's extent, with notable gaps in the westerly sections, such as the area between in the and in the , where fewer volcanic remnants occur due to underlying softer substrates. Geological exposures further highlight these remnants, particularly at sites like , where road cuts and cliffs provide clear views of the volcano's internal structure, including layered basalts and intrusive elements.

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