Soil/Landform Unit 178

The lower plain at the base of the You Yangs has a suite of geological sediments

Area:

772 ha

0.06% of CMA region

Gently undulating plains on Neogene and

sediments occur near Anakie East in the east of the Corangamite catchment. Here much of the land has been cleared or highly disturbed, with very little remnant vegetation (less than 1.1% Plains Grassy Woodland).

The sedimentary sands, silt and clay have a low inherent fertility and low water holding capacity. The forest in the past has provided sawn timber, posts and firewood, and softwood plantations are likely to fill the void created by protection of these remaining vegetation stands. Soils include alkaline

mottled

texture contrast soils with structured or massive subsoils. These relatively shallow stony soils are prone to sheet erosion, while the deeper soils in the drainage depression suffer from gully erosion and soil salting.

Undulating plain of fluvial sediments
	Grazing is a common land use on this unit

Component	1	2	3
Proportion of soil-landform unit	40%	57%	3%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 490
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 9, Maximum 20
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	September–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Quaternary fluvial clay, sand and gravel and basalt, Neogene fluvio-marine sand
Geomorphology	6.2.4 Plains, rises and low hills of the Sedimentary Western Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation Cleared: Sheep and beef cattle grazing; cropping (cereal); softwood plantation
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulating plain
Elevation range (m)	21–63
Local relief (m)	8
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	1.6
Landform	Long gentle slopes	Plains	Drainage lines
Landform element	Slopes	Plains	Depression
Slope and range (%)	2 (1–4)	1 (0–3)	1 (1–2)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Plains Grassy Woodland (1.1%)
SOIL Parent material	Sand, silt and clay	Sand, silt and clay	Sand, silt and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Alkaline mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soils (14)	Alkaline mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soils (14)	Alkaline mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soils (32)
Soil type sites	SW99, SW93, OTR734	SW99, SW93, OTR734	SW88, SFS20, CLRA4
Surface texture	Fine sandy loam	Fine sandy loam	Fine sandy loam
Permeability	Low to moderate	Low	Very low
Depth (m)	<2	>2	>2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Texture contrast. Low water holding capacity and nutrient holding capacity in upper soil, higher in subsoil. Upper soil susceptible to sheet and rill erosion with increasing slope. Strongly sodic, coarse structure or massive. Hardsetting and mottled. Moderate site drainage.	Texture contrast. Low water holding capacity and nutrient holding capacity in upper soil, higher in subsoil. Upper soil susceptible to sheet and rill erosion with increasing slope. Strongly sodic, coarse structure or massive. Hardsetting and mottled. Slow site drainage.	Texture contrast. Low water holding capacity and nutrient holding capacity in upper soil, higher in subsoil. Upper soil susceptible to sheet and rill erosion with increasing slope. Strongly sodic, coarse structure or massive. Hardsetting and mottled. Very slow site drainage.

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