THERMOLUMINESCENCE AND URANIUM-THORIUM CHRONOLOGIES OF PLEISTOCENE COASTAL LANDFORMS OF THE ILLAWARRA REGION, NEW-SOUTH-WALES

TL determinations of the ages of aeolian sands and U/Th determinations of the ages of crusts on rock platforms in the Illawarra region, especially at Red Point, indicate that these techniques give considerable promise of a major advance in deciphering the Pleistocene coastal record in Australia. The methods of dating are outlined, and problems of laboratory and field interpretation are considered. The longstanding debate as to whether the +2 m level of platforms is modern or is a Pleistocene relict has been resolved for the Illawarra coast, where these platforms can be shown to have been formed during the Last Interglacial high stand of the sea. By inference, the +4 m level must be of at least the same age. The +6 to 7 m level was cut by about 300Ka and may be as old as Pliocene. Four aeolian units at Red Point reworked from nearby barrier beach complexes date from c. 25Ka, 45Ka, 125Ka, and 300 to >400Ka. Reconnaissance surveys and dating indicate that aeolian sands of similar ages occur elsewhere along the New South Wales coast. © 1990, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.