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Soil/Landform Unit 40

Landform Unit Description

Unit 40 image a
Stony outcrops occur on mid to upper slopes of gentle rises and plains east of Ballarat. Often these soils have never been cleared and remnant eucalypts indicate their position in the landscape
      Area: 158 ha
      0.01% of CMA region

      The lava plains south of Ballarat are characterised by undulating plains and rises that support many agricultural enterprises. This unit is further defined by the surface basalt boulders it has (stony rise or crest). 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). These areas have shallow stony red gradational soil with profile depths less than 80 cm. Agricultural land use is limited to grazing and potentially softwood or hardwood plantations. The shallow stony gradational soils are susceptible to leaching of nutrients, and compaction is a problem on minor stone-free areas.
Unit 40 geomorphology

Unit 40 image b
Manna gums (E. viminalis) are common remnants
on these stony rises and crests		Unit 40 cross section

Unit 40 graph

Unit 40 image c
Remnant vegetation on a stony rise at Springbank

Component
1
Proportion of soil-landform unit
100%
CLIMATE
Rainfall (mm)

Annual 960
Temperature (oC)
Minium 6, Maximum 16
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration
November-March
GEOLOGY
Age and lithology
Geomorphology
LANDUSE
Uncleared: Nature conservation
Cleared: Beef cattle and sheep grazing; softwood plantations
TOPOGRAPHY
Landscape

Gently unudulating rises
Elevation range (m)
600-661
Local relief (m)
6
Drainage pattern
-
Drainage density (km/km2)
0.3
Landform
Stony rises
Landform element
Slope and range (%)
1-2
Slope shape
Concave scarps, straight tops
NATIVE VEGETATION
Ecological Vegetation Class

Herb-rich Foothill Forest (4.4%)
Dominant species
E. viminalis, E. radiata, E. obliqua, E. ovata
SOIL
Parent material

In situ weathered basalt
Description
(Corangamite Soil Group)
Red shallow, stony gradational soil (40)
Soil type sites
Surface texture
Clay loam
Permeability
High
Depth (m)
0.8
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS
Shallow, permeable soils result in overland flow and nutrient leaching. Sheet erosion can also occur with significant rainfall events and inadequate ground coverage.
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