I recently got to take part in a neat project, called AusGeol, which provides a repository of digital geological teaching and learning resources that documents the diverse geology of Australia. A colleague and I were assigned the task of visiting the Northern Territory (N.T.) to document (through photography) some interesting and important geological sites. In this 2-part blog post I will…
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Hidden away in the southwest of Tasmania is one of the most beautiful places, Lake Rhona. This is a little lake (~ 300 m2) in the mountains surrounded by some neat rocks, in a pretty interesting geological area. It takes a bit of a bushwalking (i.e., hiking) effort to get to, but is well worth it if you predict the…
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Science is pretty cool, and so is being a scientist… well, this is what I think at least 🙂 However, the further you continue your studies in science, the more specialized you get… and the more specialized you get, the harder it becomes to explain all the neat and cool science to people (whether it be the general public, scientists…
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The last part of my geology of Iceland blog series ventures from the centre to the south of the island. These areas contain the youngest rocks in Iceland (Nornahraun 2014/15 lava field), glacier-covered volcanoes (Vatnajökull), geothermal altered mountains (Landmannaluagar) and the scar of one of the most violent eruptions ever (Laki)! This post is part 3 of 3 in my…
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The north of Iceland offers a young and dramatic volcanic landscape that is truly “out of this world” (you will see what I mean later). Heading northeast toward Akureyri, you enter what is known as the North Volcanic Zone (NVZ). The NVZ is a subset of the roughly north-striking rift that is pulling apart Iceland and causing volcanism. The abundant…
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Iceland is a land of ice and fire. Not only is it one of the most breathtaking places in the world to visit, but it is also one of the most unique geological sites to study. I recently co-organized and participated in a field trip to Iceland and Sweden as part of our university’s Society of Economic Geologist Student Chapter (check out the video…
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There is a place in Tasmania where stunning fossil remains of an ancient forest can be found by just about anyone. This is Lune River, located near the south tip of the island (~ 2 hours drive south of Hobart). Fossilized tree branches, ferns and beautiful agates are buried within the soft gravel ground, and there are dedicated blocks of…
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Freycinet Peninsula is arguably the most popular tourist destination in Tasmania. Just look on any pamphlet for the island state and you will more than likely find a photo of the stunning (and appropriately named), Wineglass Bay. What makes Freycinet so beautiful can be traced back to the geology and geomorphology of the area. I recently did a multi-day hike…
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An exciting part of being a PhD student is being surrounded by new ideas and technology that pushes forward your field of study. On an undergraduate geology field trip to Freycinet National Park, Tasmania, I was part of a team in conjunction with our new TMVC hub (i.e. ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, Transforming the Mining Value Chain) at the…
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Sometimes it is hard to believe certain rock formations are natural… and this is definitely the case with a place in Tasmania called the Tessellated Pavement. It is named this due to the tessellated (i.e. tiled-like) appearance of the rocks along the water. This little tourist spot is near Eaglehawk Neck, on the way to the famous Tasman Peninsula, and…