Soil/Landform Unit 29

Mount Buninyong (note that the south-easterly slopes have largely been cleared fro hardwood forestry)

Area:

566 ha

0.04% of CMA region

The high cones of Mount Warrenheip and Mount Buninyong form part of sequence of volcanic landforms within the Midlands of the Western Uplands. These cones are characterised by cone crests and slopes, lower undulating slopes, depressions and

alluvial

terraces. The cones support the vegetation class Herb-rich Foothill Forest with the dominant species being manna gum (

E. viminalis

), narrow leaf peppermint (

E. radiata

) and messmate stringybark (

E. obliqua

). The crests and slopes provide

friable

dark red gradational soils, while the depressions host a mixture of

sodic

texture contrast soils. Agricultural land use is limited by the steep nature of the cone and surrounding slopes. Both cones have high environmental and scenic value while actively being used by the community for passive and active forms of recreation (e.g. cross country running). Hardwood forestry and residential development are the most popular land uses at present along with water supply. Erosion hazards are minimal. Areas with shallow stony gradational soils are susceptible to leaching of nutrients, and

compaction

is a problem on the lower slopes and depressions. Minor gully erosion and waterlogging is associated with the lower slopes and the texture contrast soils of the depressions.

Mount Warrenheip	Regolith profile of the scoria cone Mount Warrenheip
Looking south-west from Warrenheip over land use for potatoes	Dark red gradational profile of Mount Warrenheip
Herb-rich Foothill Forest of Mount Buninyong

Component	1	2	3	4
Proportion of soil-landform unit	9%	8%	8%	75%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 880
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 6, Maximum 17
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Pleistocene basalt, scoria tuff
Geomorphology	2.1.4 Dissected Western Uplands associated with volcanic landforms
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation; passive and active recreation; water supply; hardwood forestry
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Moderately inclined low cones
Elevation range (m)	505-740
Local relief (m)	120
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.5
Landform	Undulating plains		Volcanic cone
Landform element	Crest and upper slopes	Mid slope	Lower slopes and depressions	Slopes and crest
Slope and range (%)	4 (1-6)	3 (2-7)	1 (1-2)	25 (5-40)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Concave	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Herb-rich Foothill Forest (34.1%)
Dominant species	E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata
SOIL Parent material	In situ weathered basalt and scoria	In situ weathered basalt and scoria	In situ weathered basalt and scoria	In situ weathered basalt and scoria
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Red gradational soil, fine structure (40)	Dark red gradational soil, fine structure (40)	Mottled brown, grey or yellow sodic texture contrast soil, coarse structure (36)	In situ weathered basalt and scoria. Stony red gradationl soil (40)
Soil type sites	BD5, SW96, SW26	BD5, SW96, SW26	SFS6, CLRA47, MM5015	BD5, SW96, SW26
Surface texture	Clay loam	Loam	Clay loam	Clay loam
Permeability	High	High	Moderate to low	High
Depth (m)	2	1.5	1.5	1
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high aricultural versatility but are limited where surface stones occur.	Overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high agricultural versatility but are limited where surface stones occur.	Low permability and hardsetting surfaces lead to waterlogging and soil compaction	Steep slopes, overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high agricultural versatility.

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