New 40Ar/39Ar ages for selected young (<1 Ma) basalt flows of the Newer Volcanic Province, southeastern Australia

The Pliocene-Holocene Newer Volcanic Province (NVP) of southeastern Australia is an extensive, relatively well-preserved, intra-plate basaltic lava field containing more than 400 eruptive centres. This study reports new, high-precision 40Ar/39Ar ages for six young (300–600 ka) basalt flows from the NVP and is part of a broader initiative to constrain the extent, duration, episodicity and causation of NVP volcanism. Six fresh, holocrystalline alkali basalt flows were selected from the Warrnambool-Port Fairy area in the Western Plains sub-province for 40Ar/39Ar dating. These flows were chosen on the basis of pre-existing K-Ar age constraints, which, although variable, indicated eruption during a period of apparent relative volcanic quiescence (0.8–0.06 Ma).40Ar/39Ar ages were measured on multiple aliquots of whole rock basalt samples. Three separate flows from the Mount Rouse volcanic field yielded concordant 40Ar/39Ar age results, with a mean eruption age of 303 ± 13 ka (95% CI). An older weighted mean age of 382 ± 24 ka (2σ) was obtained for one sample from the central Rouse-Port Fairy Flow, suggesting extraneous argon contamination. Two basalt flows from the Mount Warrnambool volcano also yielded analogous results, with an average 40Ar/39Ar age of 542 ± 17 ka (95% CI). The results confirm volcanic activity during the interval of relative quiescence. Most previous K-Ar ages for these flows are generally older than the weighted mean 40Ar/39Ar ages, suggesting the presence of extraneous 40Ar. This study demonstrates the suitability of the 40Ar/39Ar incremental-heating method to obtain precise eruption ages for young, holocrystalline alkali basalt samples in the NVP.

► First 40Ar/39Ar study of <1 Ma basalts from the Newer Volcanic Province, SE Australia.
► A revised eruption age for the Mt Rouse volcanic centre is 303 ± 13 ka (95% CI).
► A revised eruption age for the Mt Warrnambool volcanic centre is 542 ± 17 ka (95% CI).
► Confirms extensive volcanism in the NVP during period of apparent relative quiescence.