The Finke River and other gorges  

The central Australian mountain ranges contain examples of drainage superimposition and antecedence creating some spectacular bedrock gorges.  These features commonly take the form of narrow gaps through strike ridges.  Several longer gorges exist, the best known being that of the Finke River where it passes through the Krichauff Ranges.  The Finke has been studied for its unique bedrock meander trains and its slackwater deposits.  These deposits have been dated and used with hydraulic modelling techniques to construct a palaeoflood history of the region.

Gaps through strike ridges, Western Macdonnell Ranges.

Ground view of a gap through a strike ridge in the Western Macdonnell Range.

Ellery Gorge- channel & slackwater deposits.

click for info & enlargement

Finke River Gorge palaeomeander systems incised into bedrock.

Modelled flood inundation patterns in the lower Finke Gorge

Finke Gorge - slackwater deposit in the mouth of an incised bedrock meander.

Cemented river gravels in the bed of a Finke Gorge palaeomeander.

Finke Gorge incised bedrock meander - aerial view.

Tributary backfilled with sediment after a flood.