Soil/Landform Unit 69

Low open woodland of E. nitida and Xanthorrhoea australis in the understorey typify this landscape, hardpan areas are defined by the absence of tree stratum

Area:

8997 ha

0.67% of CMA region

Inland from Anglesea is a deeply dissected landscape with very stunted native vegetation, referred to as the Bald Hills. The Paleogene sediments exposed here include both sands and clays and are characterised by soils of extremely low fertility. Heaths and low woodlands are found on the upper parts of the landscape, where sandy soils are dominant.

Xanthorrhoea australis

is particularly common and tends to dominate on sites with hardpans developed in the soil profile. Lower down in the landscape, low forests or open forests of

Eucalyptus nitida

and

E. obliqua

tend to occur. Productive land uses are limited to the mining of sand and gravel in numerous shallow extraction pits, and mining of coal near Anglesea. Nature conservation and recreation are other forms of land use.

Anglesea coalworks
	Low open woodland of E. nitida with Xanthorrhoea australis

Component	1	2	3	4	5
Proportion of soil-landform unit	10%	25%	10%	40%	15%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 7000-1000, lowest January (35), highest August (100)
Temperature (^oC)	Annual: 13, lowest July (8), highest February (18)
Seasonal growth limitations	Temperature: less than 10^oC (av.) mid June-mid August Precipitation: less than potential evapotranspiration November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Paleogene unconsolidated quartz sand, gravel and clayey silt
Geomorphology	3.2.2 Dissected upland ranges of the Souther Uplands
LANDUSE	Uncleared areas: Nature conservation; extraction of gravel and sand; active and passive recreation; some attempts at pine establishment Minor cleared areas: Mining for coal; some grazing
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Deeply dissected hills to the north-west of Anglesea
Elevation range (m)	0-210
Local relief (m)	90
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	3.0
Landform	Hills				Valley floor
Landform element	Upper slope and crest	Steep upper slope and crest	Broad, slightly depressed areas of impeded drainage	Lower slope	-
Slope and range (%)	7 (3-15)	15 (2-35)	7 (3-12)	19 (10-35)	1 (0-3)
Slope shape	Convex	Convex	Concave	Linear	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure	Low woodland	Low open woodland	Closed heath	Open forest	Closed scrub
Dominant species	E. nitida	E. nitida	Xanthorrhoea australis, Casuarina Pusilla, Platylogium obtusangulum, Leptospermum myrrsinoides	E. obliqua, E. nitida	E. ovata, L. juniperinum, L. lanigerum, Acacia verticillata
SOIL Parent material	Kaolinitic silty clay, surface layers of quyartz sand	Quartz sand and gravel	Quartz sand and gravel	Sand, silt and clay	Plant remains; alluvial silt, sand and gravel
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Grey sand soils, kaolinitic clay underlay (29)	Grey sand soils (29)	Grey sand soils with hardpans (29)	Yellow gradational soils weak structure (29)	Grey gradational soils (34, 29)
Soil type sites	OTR500	OTR742, OTR426	OTR608, OTR426	OTR497, OTR742, CLRA13	OTR733, CLRA13
Surface texture	Sandy loam	Loamy sand	Loamy sand	Loamy sand	Silty loam
Permeability	Low	Very high	Low	High	Very low
Depth (m)	>2	>2	0.6	>2	>2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Weakly structured surface soils and slowly permeabile subsoils on moderate slopes are prone to sheet and rill erosion. Clay subsoils subject to periodic saturation are prone to landslips.	Very low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to nutrient decline. Steeper slopes with compacted soils are prone to sheet, rill and gully erosion (scouring).	Very low inherent fertility with some leading of permeable surface soils leads to nutrient decline. Impermeable hardpans prevent vertical drainage leading to seasonal waterlogging.	Low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to nutrient decline. Steeper slopes with weak structured surface soils are prone to sheet erosion.	High seasonal watertable leads to waterlogging and soil compaction. Rapid runoff from adjacent hills leads to flooding, siltation and gully erosion.

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