Coal measures of an orogenic recess: Late Permian Sydney Basin, Australia

Comparison of the Late Permian northeastern Sydney Basin with the Pliocene-Quaternary "Purari recess" of the Papuan Basin on the basis of gross lithology and lithologic sequence, sediment provenance, sedimentary environment and basin architecture confirms its tectonic context as an orogenic recess of closely similar character. This comparison, together with comparison to the Late Carboniferous Appalachian Basin of Pennsylvania, suggests that, under favourable climatic circumstances, orogenic recesses are optimum sites for thick coal accumulation.