This paper presents the first ever dated chronology for the series of dune fields and foredunes of the Gippsland Lakes area, Victoria.
The authors used ground penetrating radar and luminescence dating to gain a picture of the coastal foredunes through time.
A prograded coastal plain formed as a series of foredune ridges 125,00 years ago. This formed in the last interglacial when sea level was 3-5 m higher than present (global average). The beach was further landward than the present coast, and continued to prograde until 80,0000.
During the peak of the glacial maximum there was remobilisation of the foredunes into parabolic dunes with blow outs. Dunes were most active around 20,000 years ago.
This research fills a significant gap in our understanding of the history of the Gippsland lakes area, a landscape which is a series of dune fields stacked on top of each other.
The article is freely available until June 23rd.
The Coastal Lab 