The Great Artesian Basin: How Was It Formed? What Is Artesian Water?

The Great Artesian Basin
The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is one of the largest As rivers eroded the steeper slopes, the land began to
artesian groundwater basins in the world. It extends 2 flatten, and deposition in lakes and large floodplains
400 km from Cape York in the north to Dubbo in the became more dominant. The sandy sediments
south. At its widest it is 1 800 km from the Darling Downs consolidated to form the permeable sandstone from
to west of Coober Pedy. With an area of over 1.7 million which the artesian water is now tapped and the clayey
square kilometres the Basin underlies approximately sediments became the impermeable layers. Thickness of
one-fifth of the Australian continent. (See Figure 1) the combined layers varies from less than 100 metres on
the basin extremities to over 3 000 metres in the deeper
The GAB stores a huge volume of water that is estimated
parts. (See Figure 2).
to be 64 900 million megalitres. It is enough water to fill
Sydney Harbour 130 000 times. During the Cretaceous period, down warping and high
sea levels created a shallow sea over much of inland
Australia (about 100 million years ago). This sea
deposited mainly muddy sediments, which later
consolidated forming the rolling downs that can be seen
today.
As the Cretaceous period ended, about 65 million years
ago, uplift ended sedimentation in the region of the Great
Artesian Basin. Further uplifting and erosion resulted in
the exposure of the permeable sandstones in the
marginal areas of the Basin. This occurred mainly along
the western edge of the present day Great Dividing
Range. Rainfall began to infiltrate into the sandstones
that led to the accumulation of the vast groundwater
reserve.
Figure 1 – The Great Artesian Basin
How was it formed?

Figure 2 – Generalised cross-section of the Great Artesian Basin
Over many millions of years, the GAB was created by the
deposition of sediments that eventually formed What is artesian water?
alternating layers of permeable sandstone and
impermeable siltstones and mudstones. The deposits Artesian water is underground water confined and
occurred in three major depressions; the Carpentaria, pressurised within a porous and permeable geological
Eromanga and Surat basins which together form the formation. Formations that store and transmit water are
GAB. referred to as aquifers. When one of these aquifers is
tapped by a bore, artesian water may flow naturally to the
At the end of the Triassic period, uplift on the margins of surface.
these basins occurred and erosion of these areas led to
sedimentation. Throughout the period, sand and gravel In the GAB, these aquifers are sandstones and are
was deposited by streams and rivers and clays and recharged by rainfall and stream flow infiltrating into the
clayey sands were laid down by floodplains and lakes. exposed sandstones on the edges of the Basin. The
This process produced a profile of alternating layers. water moves slowly down through the sandstone, filling
the aquifer to the level of the intake area. (Figs 1 and 2).
Why an artesian bore flows? Thousands of kilometres of bore drains were excavated
to distribute the water around properties, thus allowing
As the aquifer is confined by an impermeable, overlying sheep and cattle to be raised on the vast Mitchell grass,
layer, the water becomes pressurised. Mulga and Spinifex plains.
When a bore is drilled into one of the aquifers, the water Prior to development in the Basin, it is estimated that,
will rise due to the pressure. The level to which it rises is excluding the Carpentaria Basin, 1040 megalitres of
called the potentiometric surface. If this surface is above water entered the aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin in
ground level, then the bore will flow. In a sub-artesian Queensland each day. All of this, together with the
bore the water does not rise above ground level. (Fig 2). volume of recharge from other States, discharged as
Maximum pressure recorded at ground level in the Basin surface springs and a natural equilibrium of inflow to
is 1300 kilopascals (about 130 metres head). outflow was maintained.
Many bores initially flowed at rates of over 10 megalitres
Other facts per day (ML/d). However, the majority now flow between
Across the basin, the average depth of bores is 500 m, 0.01 and 6 ML/d. Total outflow from the Basin reached a
but some bores have been drilled to 2 000 m depth. peak of over 2 000 ML/d around 1915. Since then,
artesian pressure and flow rates have declined, while the
Dating of the artesian water has given ages of almost number of bores has increased. The current total outflow
2 million years for the oldest water. This age water is from the Basin is about 1 500 ML/d.
found in the south-west of the Basin.
Also, about one-third of all artesian bores which flowed
Water quality in the main aquifers is generally good for when drilled have now ceased to flow and require pumps
watering livestock but because of high levels of certain to bring the water to the surface.
ions, is not suitable for irrigation. Measured in Total
Dissolved Solids (TDS), water quality varies between 500 Management of the GAB
and 1 500 milligrams per litre. It is used for domestic
purposes throughout the basin. The GAB is a vast resource that has allowed a major part
of arid Australia to be turned into productive grazing
Water temperatures range from 30oC in shallow areas to country. The careful and sustainable management of this
100oC at the surface in the deeper regions. valuable natural resource is vital for future generations.
Water use in the GAB The Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative (GABSI)
is one incentive scheme that is in place to address water
Before European settlement and land management issues in the GAB. GABSI is part
of a collaborative 15 year Strategic Management Plan
Prior to European settlement, Aborigines used the natural used by Qld, NSW, SA and the NT to achieve
springs of the GAB and regarded them as significant to sustainability of the Basin and its resources. It is funded
their traditional cultures. The springs are natural outlets by both the State and Federal Governments and gives
of the artesian aquifers from which groundwater flows to landholders the opportunity to access subsidies to cap
the surface. (Fig 2). They were a reliable source of water and pipe their bores. The Great Artesian Basin
in times of drought when other water sources were Coordinating Committee (GABCC) is responsible for
scarce. The springs were and still are valuable for the coordinating management of the GAB between the
support of wildlife. States and Territory involved.
Many stories of Aboriginal ancestors involve GAB springs
and their placement along travel routes. Some of these Further information
springs feature in Aboriginal myths and hold significant For further information on the GAB or about other fact
spiritual and cultural beliefs of indigenous communities. sheets, contact your local office of NRW or the GABCC.
Recent history and development

European settlers first discovered artesian water from the March 2006
Great Artesian Basin in 1878 when a shallow bore sunk W68
near Bourke in New South Wales produced flowing For further information phone 13 13 04
water. Many bores were soon drilled and by 1915 over
1 500 flowing artesian bores had been drilled throughout
the Basin. The assurance of a reliable water supply for
settlers and their stock meant the development of a
valuable sheep and cattle industry.
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The Great Artesian Basin

Figure 1 – The Great Artesian Basin

How was it formed?

Recent history and development

www.nrw.qld.gov.au Water ... securing water for Queensland’s future

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