Below is the table of contents and first section of this chapter. You can download the full chapter as a pdf file by clicking here or as a eBook (ePub) file by clicking here.

Table of Contents

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Overview of geology

2.3 Swan Coastal Plain (SCP)

2.3.1 Overview

2.3.2 Bassendean Dunal System

2.3.3 Spearwood Dunal system

2.3.4 Quindalup Dunal system

2.3.5 Guilford Formation or Pinjarra Plain

2.4 Summary

Introduction

This introduction is not meant to be a comprehensive description of the geology of the Australian continent. The intention is to provide some very basic information that provides a framework upon which the geomorphology of the Swan Coastal Plain (SCP) can be understood. The key references for the discussion below are Bolland (1998), Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources (Undated) and Seddon (1972).

I have chosen to only focus on the SCP for two reasons: first, most of WA’s population lives on the SCP, and, second, I grew up and spent most of my life living on the SCP. I spent all of my school and early Uni days in Medina. Medina was probably the first ‘master planned’ community in WA, as it was set up in the 1950s to house up to 25,000 workers for the new heavy industrial area in Kwinana. Four suburbs were planned, with Medina and Calista built first. Medina is an interesting place because it was built on the Garden City idea by WA’s first female town planner, Margaret Feilman, with wide street and many and large open spaces. According to the Margaret Feilman Foundation website (https://feilmanfoundation.com.au/margaret-feilman-obituary/) the reason why the Garden City idea as chosen was because:

… if 25,000 workers and their families were eventually going to live in what was virgin scrub south of Perth, it was their welfare, she proposed, that was the prime consideration.

She also ensured that this new settlement would be located well away from the industrial area.

Margaret was also an active conservationist, which may explain why most of the open spaces were left as bushland. Below is a recent Google Earth photo of Medina and the large area of open space and bushland are obvious if somewhat parkland cleared now.

My point is that we grew up surrounded by bush, and bush was our playground. In this way I’m connected to the SCP. Anyhow, on with the main part of this chapter.

Figure 2.1: Google Earth image of Medina today showing the large open spaces typical of Garden Cities.