East Pickard Bay panorama

Freshwater West, Gravel Bay and East Pickard Bay

Moor Cliffs Formation at East Pickard Bay.

This photo was taken from coastal path and shows a general view of the upper part of the Moor Cliffs Formation at East Pickard Bay. The prominent ribs mark a series of tuffs (volcanic ash fall deposits) which can be used as stratigraphic markers. The sequence is dipping to the north (left) at approx. 50° - 65°. The headland of Linney Head is on the skyline in the right distance.

Panoramic view comprised of three landscape photos stitched together using Photoshop software.

Background:
The Moor Cliffs Formation overlies the Freshwater East conglomerates, seen in previous photos, and spans the boundary between the Silurian and Devonian periods. It consists of red mudstones and siltstones with occasional thin sandstone beds. These were deposited on a low-reflief floodplain at the edge of an arid continental margin, the sandstones being deposited by seasonal braided streams, the muds and silts deposited in ephemeral marginal lakes. When not inundated, the muds and silts developed carbonate-rich calcrete (caliche) soil horizons along dessication cracks, burrows and early plant root systems.