Your gateway to a wide range of natural resources information and associated maps

Victorian Resources Online

Soil/Landform Unit 49

Landform Unit Description

Unit 49 image a
Undulating rises near Mount Doran
      Area: 217 ha
      0.02% of CMA region

      The undulating rises of Quaternary volcanics in the Myrniong and Mount Doran areas are located in the east of the Corangamite catchment. Over 90% of the land here is cleared for private use. The main vegetation classes are Valley Grassy Forest, Heathy Dry Forest and Plains Grassy Woodland. Eucalyptus ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida and E. obliqua are the dominant species for this basaltic landscape. The weathered basalt has moderate inherent fertility levels and a moderate water holding capacity. In the past the forest has provided sawn timber, posts and firewood. Current land use is mainly grazing and cropping (cereal). Soils of the slopes and plains include acidic and neutral mottled black texture contrast soils. There are minor areas of neutral mottled black texture contrast soils with a conspicuously bleached subsurface horizon, and acidic mottled yellow texture contrast soils. Areas of gilgai microrelief occur where the soils of the mounds and depressions are acidic mottled black texture contrast soils. Neutral black texture contrast soils may occur on gilgai mounds. Sheet and rill erosion, as well as periodic waterlogging, are the main degradation features of these basaltic rises.
Unit 49 geomorphology

Unit 49 image b
Looking south of Lal La Reservoir towards Mount Doran
Unit 49 cross section

Unit 49 graph

Component
1
2
3
Proportion of soil-landform unit
95%
3%
2%
CLIMATE
Rainfall (mm)

Annual: 690
Temperature (oC)
Minimum 7, Maximum 18
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration
October-March
GEOLOGY
Age and lithology

Quaternary basalt, Orodivician marine shale and sandstone
Geomorphology
LANDUSE
Uncleared: Nature conservation; water supply
Cleared: Sheep and beef cattle grazing; cropping (cereal)
TOPOGRAPHY
Landscape

Undulating rises
Elevation range (m)
391-450
Local relief (m)
2
Drainage pattern
Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km2)
2.2
Landform
Hillslope
Undulating plain
Hillslope
Landform element
Long gentle upper slopes
Mounds and depressions
Stony rise
Slope and range (%)
1 (1-3)
1 (1-2)
3 (2-5)
Slope shape
Straight
Straight
Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION
Structure

Valley Gressy Forest (7.1%), Heathy Dry Forest (2.8%), Plains Grassy Woodland (0.2%)
Dominant species
E. ovata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. obliqua
SOIL
Parent material

In situ weathered basalt

Alluvium

In situ weathered basalt
Description
(Corangamite Soil Group)
Mottled black, brown, yellow and grey sodic texture contrast soil, coarse structure (35)
Mottled black crackin gclay soil, coarse structure (31)
Red shallow stony gradational soil (40)
Soil type sites
Surface texture
Clay loam
Clay
Clay loam
Permeability
Moderate to low
Moderate
High
Depth (m)
1.5
1.5
0.5
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS
Hardsetting surfaces, dispersible subsoils, and slow permeability results in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Overland flow inadvertently causes sheet and rill erosion.
Clay soils beside creeks are prone to waterlogging. Streambank undercutting and streambank erosion can occur with excessive rains and inadequate ground coverage.
Overland flow is likely to cause sheet and rill erosion. Nutrient decline is possible due to shallow and permeable soils.
Page top