Soil/Landform Unit 42

Looking north from Mount Buninyong over Green Hill towards Ballarat

Area:

240 ha

0.02% of CMA region

The low cones of Green Hill form part of a sequence of volcanic landforms within the Midlands of the Western Uplands. These cones are characterised by cone crests and slopes, lower undulating slopes, stony rises and outcrops, depressions and

alluvial

terraces. The cones support the vegetation classes Heathy Dry Forest, Grassy Dry Forest, Grassy Woodland and Plains Grassy Woodland with the dominant species being manna gum (

E. viminalis

), narrow leaf peppermint (

E. radiata

), swamp gum (

E. ovata

) and messmate stringybark (

E. obliqua

). The slopes provide

friable

red gradational soils while the lower slopes host a mixture of sodic texture contrast soils. The depressions support black clays and the terraces have brown uniform soil. Shallow stony red gradational soils are found on stony crests and slopes. Agricultural land use is quite diverse and includes beef cattle and sheep grazing, hardwood forestry and water supply. Residential development and other forms of development (universities, technology parks, etc.) are likely to be the primary land use. 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.

The crest of Green Hill rising above the remnant vegetation on the mid and lower slopes
	University of Ballarat occuping the mid to lower slopes of Green Hill

Component	1	2	3	4	5
Proportion of soil-landform unit	30%	50%	5%	5%	10%
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 Weatern Uplands associated with volcanic landforms
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation; passive and active recreation; water supply; hardwood forestry Cleared: Beef cattle and sheep grazing; cropping; residential development horticulture
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Gently undulating low cones
Elevation range (m)	490-653
Local relief (m)	80
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.3
Landform	Volcanic cone	Depression			Terrace
Landform element	Slopes and crest	Long gentle upper slopes	Depression	Stony rises
Slope and range (%)	25 (5-40)	2 (1-3)	1 (1-2)	3 (2-5)	1 (1-2)
Slope shape	Straight	Straight	Straight	Convex	Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Heathy Dry Forest (4.9%), Grassy Dry Forest (3%), Grassy Woodland (2.6%), Plains Grassy Woodland (2%)
Dominant species	E. viminalis, E. radiata	E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua	E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua	E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua	E. viminalis, E. radiata
SOIL Parent material	In situ weathered basalt and scoria	In situ weathered basalt and scoria	Alluvium	In situ weathered basalt	Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt and clay
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Stony red gradational soil (40)	Mottled yellow, grey sodic texture contrast soil, coarse structure (36)	Black cracking clay soil, coarse structure (31)	Red shallow, stony gradational soil (40)	Dark brown soil (variable) (34)
Soil type sites	BD5, SW96, SW26	SFS6, MM5015, CLRA47	CLRA15, SW37, CLRA48	BD5, SW96, SW26	CLRA1, SW39, SW56
Surface texture	Clay loam	Clay loam	Clay	Clay loam	Fine sandy clay loam
Permeability	High	Moderate to low	Moderate	High	Moderate to low
Depth (m)	1	1.5	1.5	0.5	2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Steep slopes, overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high agricultural versatility.	Hardsetting surfaces and slowly permeable soils often result in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Soil compaction and sheet erosion also occur.	Clay soils beside creeks are prone to waterlogging. Streambank and undercutting and streambank erosion occur where streambanks are exposed without adequate ground coverage.	Overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high agricultural versatility but are limited by surface stones.	Low-lying areas receiving drainage are prone to waterlogging and overland flow. Streambank erosion and gully erosion occur where soils are exposed without adequate ground coverage.

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