Soil/Landform Unit 39

Vast volcanic red plains of the Midlands looking towards Dunnstown from Mount Warrenheip. The soils of this areas have some of the most prized in the catchment owing to their high inherent versatility and nutrient status.

Area:

7167 ha

0.54% of CMA region

The lava plains south of Ballarat are characterised by undulating plains and rises that support many agricultural enterprises. Vegetation classes include Herb-rich Foothill Forest and Plains Grassy Woodland with the dominant species being manna gum (

E. viminalis

), narrow leaf peppermint (

E. radiata

) and messmate stringybark (

E. obliqua

). This unit has sought after dark red gradational soils with profile depths of 150 cm on gentle slopes. Very few depressions occur with grey cracking clays and texture contrast soils. Agricultural land use is quite diverse and is predominantly potato cropping. Other land uses include beef cattle and sheep grazing, water supply, horticulture (including apples and other stone fruit), softwood plantations and residential development. 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.

Potato cropping is the major land use of the gentle slopes
	Remnant vegetation stand associated with stony rises contained within these red volcanic plains

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Component	1	2	3
Proportion of soil-landform unit	90%	5%	5%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 940
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 6, Maximum 16
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Pleistocene; basalt and minor river deposits, gravels, sands and clays
Geomorphology	2.1.4 Dissected Western Uplands associated with volcanic landforms
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Water supply; nature conservation; passive and active recreation; hardwood forestry Cleared: Potato farming; beef cuttle and sheep grazing; horticulture (including stone fruits); softwood plantations; cropping (cereal); residential development
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulting rises
Elevation range (m)	487-736
Local relief (m)	5
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	1.6
Landform	Undulating plains and rises		Terraces
Landform element	Gentle slopes	Depressions
Slope and range (%)	3 (1-6)	1 (1-2)	1 (1-2)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Herb-rich Foothill Forest (4%), Plains Grassy Wooland (3.3%)
Dominant species	E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata
SOIL Parent material	In situ weathered rock	In situ weathered rock	Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Red gradational soil, fine stucture (40)	Mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soil, coarse structure (32)	Dark brown soil - variable (34)
Soil type sites	BD5, SW96, SW26	SW88, SFS20, CLRA4	SW39, CLRA15, CLRA1
Surface texture	Clay loam	Clay loam	Fine sandy clay loam
Permeability	High	Moderate to low	Moderate to low
Depth (m)	2	1.5	2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Slope exposure, leaching, overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high agricultural versatility.	Low subsoil permeability and hardsetting surfaces make the land vulnerable to waterlogging and compaction.	Low-lying areas receiving drainage are prone to waterlogging, overland flow, streambank erosion and gully erosion.

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