Under Sydney Harbour

[Black Orchid]

I hate these under Harbour tunnels, they are claustrophobic and eerie but there are certainly some interesting finds there. The Harbour was once a valley with only a small river running through it not so long ago.

It is no surprise that great secrets lay deep beneath our feet, but a new find below sea level in Sydney has revealed a 60,000-year-old history which has changed our understanding of the iconic harbour city.

Charcoal from a bushfire that raged more than 63,000 years ago and shells at least 20,000 years old are among the rare finds geologists discovered during test drilling for the Sydney Metro project – where they uncovered an ancient paleovalley.

Fifty-three boreholes travelled deeper below the sea floor than ever before, uncovering charcoal and remnant timber, oysters, mussels, gastropods and crab claws, all of which have been undisturbed for more than 20,000 years.

The findings confirmed Sydney Harbour used to be a valley with a small river running through it.

The ancient river, no bigger than the Lane Cove River, flowed out towards the heads and the coastline, which was about 25 kilometres further east than it is today.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/0 ... ey-harbour