Completed 2024 Officer–Musgrave–Birrindudu
![Outback landscape with trees in the distance](/_nuxt/image/1f9137.jpg)
The Officer–Musgrave–Birrindudu project investigated the energy and groundwater potential of the Officer Basin, the adjoining Musgrave Province and nearby Birrindudu Basin.
In alignment with the Exploring for the Future vision, the Officer-Musgrave-Birrindudu project developed an integrated geoscientific understanding of the resource potential of this frontier region. Project activities and outputs support regional communities, providing an evidence-base for future resource use, encouraging investment and job creation, and leading to improved economic, social and cultural outcomes. This project also developed, refined and implemented novel scientific workflows and methods that can be applied in other frontier regions across Australia.
Groundwater investigations focused on the Musgrave Province, Officer Basin and far eastern Canning Basin to identify potential palaeovalley groundwater resources, vital to responsible future development and supporting local communities.
The energy component of this project included the acquisition of key new precompetitive data in the Officer and Birrindudu basins, and re-analysis of existing datasets covering the Officer Basin. This work improves understanding of regional resource potential, stimulating industry exploration investment in the medium-term and ultimately leading to new discoveries and economic benefits for the region.
Key activities included hydrogeological, geological, and geophysical data acquisition, developing basin and palaeovalley system understanding and resource potential assessments.
What we did
The project incorporated a number of study areas and activities, including:
Outputs
Collaboration
Geoscience Australia acknowledges all landholders and communities who support our work in rural, regional and remote Australia.
- Geological Survey of Western Australia
- Geological Survey of South Australia
- Northern Territory Geological Survey
- Northern Territory Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security
- South Australia Department for Environment and Water
- Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
- CSIRO
- Traditional Owners
Related information
![Geoscience Australia staff engaging with communities](/_nuxt/image/14e06d.jpeg)
Important community information
Geoscience Australia is committed to land, air and marine access best practice and to protecting cultural heritage and the environment.
We thank the people and communities who collaborate with us to ensure the success of the Exploring for the Future program.
Geoscience Australia activities are not undertaken on behalf of any exploration company; we work for the benefit of all Australians.
All data produced by Geoscience Australia, including the data from this project, is publicly available after quality assurance has been performed.
For more information or general enquiries, please email clientservices@ga.gov.au
![Groundwater](/_nuxt/image/aa79f7.jpg)
Program 2020-24
The Exploring for the Future program (2020–24) focused on 8 interrelated projects, united in growing our understanding of Australia's geology.
Deep-dive
Three deep-dive projects in potentially resource-rich corridors identified in the east and west of Australia: Darling–Curnamona–Delamerian, Officer–Musgrave–Birrindudu and Barkly–Isa–Georgetown projects.
National
Three national projects with a focus on southern Australia: Australia’s Resources Framework, National Groundwater Systems and Australia’s Future Energy Resources projects.
Program support
Two program support projects: Enhanced Data Delivery and Geoscience Knowledge Sharing projects.