Paleomagnetic Laboratory, Black Mountain, Acton

Abstract

Built in 1964 for the Department of Geophysics in an old quarry on the eastern slopes of Black Mountain, this non-magnetic laboratory houses two astatic magnetometers for measuring the weak remnant magnetisation of rocks. It was here that the first polar wander path for Australia was determined. A great difference was found between this path and those for northern hemisphere continents, thus providing a most important demonstration that continental drift had occurred. With subsequent developments, this demonstration led to the now-accepted theory of plate tectonics. Show more