180 Ma continental drainage divide in northeastern Australia: Role of passive margin tectonics

The stratigraphy and sedimentology of Jurassic to Tertiary sediments within the Laura and Carpentaria basins in northeastern Australia show that the c ontinental drainage divide here predates the onset of continental margin fo rmation and has remained stationary since the Middle Jurassic. This result is contrary to models of the evolution of highlands adjacent to passive con tinental margins that state that divide migration associated with downwarpi ng of the highland flank and widespread stream reversals and/or captures sh ould occur following margin development. The results also show that a maxim um of only 50 m of denudation could have occurred on the continental draina ge divide here since the Cretaceous.