Antecedent landscape controls on river character, behaviour and evolution at the base of the escarpment in Bega catchment, South Coast, New South Wales, Australia

Three types of valley morphology occur at the base of the escarpment in Bega catchment, on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Each valley-setting contains a distinct river character and behaviour, namely cut and fill, bedrock-controlled discontinuous floodplain and fan. The character, behaviour and sedimentology of each base of escarpment river style are described and controls on their formation are assessed. Each river style operates under a certain set, or combination of boundary conditions that dictate the availability of accommodation space at the base of the escarpment.