Soil/Landform Unit 114

Stony rises surround the volcanic scoria cones of red rock and surrounding hills

Area:

21 045 ha

1.58% of CMA region

The undulating basalt plains in the Warrion-Dreeite area are dominated by stony rises that surround the scoria, basalt and ash derived low hills and undulating plains of the Alvie area. These undulating basalt plains form a part of the volcanic landforms of the Western Plains. The plains are characterised by relatively stone-free flats that occur between prominent stony rises. The stony rises and flats support little remnant vegetation including the vegetation classes Stony Rises Herb-rich Woodland and Plains Grassy Woodland. The relatively young landscape has developed shallow

friable

loams on the stony rises, and neutral black and red gradational soils on the undulating plains. The flats and depressions have grey and black cracking clays that remain waterlogged in wet seasons. The soils are friable and productive but generally shallow and stony. Rainfall decreases from south to north, influencing grazing intensity (for dairying or beef/sheep production). Cropping is limited to areas that are relatively stone-free.

View across stony rises towards Warrion Hill
	Stony rises with remnant vegetation

Component	1	2	3	4
Proportion of soil-landform unit	25%	60%	5%	10%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 630
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 8, Maximum 19
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary basalt and minor scoria, Recent clay, sand and gravel
Geomorphology	6.1.2 Stony rises of the Volcanic Western Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation; water supply Cleared: Beef cattle and sheep grazing; minor cropping
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating basalt plains
Elevation range (m)	113-165
Local relief (m)	10
Drainage pattern	Centripetal-deranged
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.9
Landform	Stony rises			Swamps and water bodies
Landform element	Undulating stony rises	Gently undulating plains	Drainage depressions	Swamps
Slope and range (%)	2 (1-4)	1 (0-3)	2 (1-5)	1 (0-1)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Concave	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Stony Rises Herb-rich Woodland (1.6%), Plains Grassy Woodland (0.4%)
SOIL Parent material	In situ basalt and ash	In situ basalt, ash and colluvial material	Basaltic colluvium and alluvium	Basaltic alluvium; clay and silt
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Shallow friable loams (40/41)	Neutral black and red gradational soils (40) friable mottled black texture contrast soils (37)	Alkaline grey cracking clays and some black cracking clays (39)	Alkaline grey cracking clays and some black cracking clays (31)
Soil type sites	SW26, BD5, SW8	SW26, SW96, SW25	SFS2, SW89, SFS4	SW37, CLRA15, CLRA48
Surface texture	Clay loam to loam	Clay loam	Light medium clay	Medium clay
Permeability	High	High	Very low	Very low
Depth (m)	<0.7	<1.5	>1	>2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Friable, stongly structured soil. Shallow soil with low water holding capacity. Well drained. Moderate to high nutrient holding capacity.	Friable, strongly structured soil. Shallow soil with low water holding capacity. Well drained. Moderate to high nutrient holding capacity.	Friable, strongly structured soil. Deep heavy clay soil but with high expansive characteristics. High nutrient holding capacity, often calcareous and sodic. Poor drainage.	Firable, strongly structured soil. Deep heavy clay soil but with high expansive characteristics. High nutrient holding capacity, often calcareous and sodic. Very poor to poor drainage and susceptible to waterlogging and associated compaction.

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