Submarine landslides and incised canyons of the southeast Queensland continental margin

Abstract

An investigation conducted aboard the RV Southern Surveyor (SS2013-V01) in January 2013 offshore east Australia collected regional bathymetric data for the continental margin of southern Queensland between Noosa Heads in the south and Indian Head, Fraser Island in the north. This newly mapped area presents a particularly steep portion of continental slope (5–10º) that presents numerous submarine landslides, including two ‘whole-of-slope’ features (the Wide Bay Canyon, and Inskip Slides). The slope is also dissected by three large submarine canyons offshore northern Fraser Island, Wide Bay, and Noosa Heads (i.e. the Fraser Canyons, the Wide Bay Canyon and the Noosa Canyon). Dredge and core sa..