Gherang Gherang Land System

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Inland from Point Addis and extending west as far as Wormbete Creek, flat-topped hills represent the remnants of an extensive former lateritic plateau. Small remnants are also found further north towards Moriac.

Over most of this landscape lateritic profiles are present, indicating former climatic conditions different from those experienced today. Where the Tertiary sediments contain excessive amounts of gravel, lateritic profiles are absent, but there is still evidence of deep weathering and leaching.

The soils are generally infertile, carrying a vegetation of stunted woodlands of Eucalyptus obliqua and E. radiata. The cinnamon fungus, Phytophthora cinnamomi, is very common on these plateau remnants and large areas of dead and dying native vegetation can be found.

Many of these remnants remain uncleared and are used for flora and fauna reserves and some minor forestry operations. Gravel extraction pits have been established on suitable areas of Crown land. These pits will not revegetate quickly without the appropriate management and have become popular with trail-bike-riders.

A Study of land in the catchments of the Otway Range and adjacent plains - gherang gherang

The flat lateritic plateaux carry woodland of E. obliqua and
E. radiata, but the timber is generally unsuitable for milling.

Area: 52 km²	Component and its proportion of land system
Area: 52 km²	1 20%	2 7%	3 65%	4 8%
CLIMATE Rainfall, mm	Annual: 600 – 850, lowest January (35), highest August (80)
Temperature, 0^oC	Annual: 14, lowest July (9), highest February (17)
	Temperature: less than 10^oC (av.) July
	Precipitation: less than potential evapotranspiration mid October - April
GEOLOGY Age, lithology	Lateritized Tertiary clay, gravel and clayey silt
GEOLOGY Age, lithology		Recent aeolian siliceous sand
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Flat or gently dissected plateau remnants
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Flat or gently dissected plateau remnants
Elevation, m	50 - 230
Local relief, m	10
Drainage pattern	Rectangular
Drainage density, km/km²	1.6
Land form	Gently undulating plateau
Land form element	Crest, slope	Slope	Broad flat crest, slope	Swale, broad depression
Slope (and range), %	2 (0-8)	2 (0-3)	2 (0-5)	1 (0-3)
Slope shape	Convex	Irregular	Linear	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure	Woodland	Woodland	Open forest	Open forest
Dominant species	E. obliqua, E. radiata, E. ovata	E. radiata, E. nitida, E. obliqua	E. obliqua, E. baxteri, E. radiata, E. aromaphloia	E. ovata, E. viminalis
SOIL Parent material	Quartz gravel, sand, some clay	Siliceous sand	Lateritized sediments	Alluvial sand, clay, silt and plant remains
Description	Stony yellow gradational soils	Grey sand soils, uniform texture	Mottled yellow and red duplex soils with ironstone	Yellow-brown duplex soils, coarse structure
Surface texture	Gravelly loamy sand	Loamy sand	Loamy sand	Fine loamy sand
Permeability	Very high	Very high	Moderate	Very low
Depth, m	>2	>2	1.2	>2
LAND USE	Uncleared areas: Hardwood forestry for posts, poles and firewood; nature conservation; passive and active recreation; gravel extraction. Cleared areas: Beef cattle grazing on unimproved pastures; residential
SOIL DETERIORATION HAZARD Critical land features, processes, forms	Low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to leaching of nutrients.	Low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to leaching of nutrients. Weakly structured sands with low water holding capacities are prone to wind erosion.	Low inherent fertility phosphate fixation and leaching of permeable upper horizons lead to nutrient decline.	High seasonal water table and weak surface structured lead to surface compaction.

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