Clifton (Cn)

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Clifton- geo

Area: 157 sq. km (0.8%)

Clifton land system occurs on Tertiary fan deposits along the margin of the East Victorian Uplands, with the largest area being to the north of Lakes Entrance. Almost flat. plateau remnants and dissected, low plateaux, with closely-spaced, small spurs protruding into the main drainage corridors are characteristic. A clayey plinthite underlies the surface and it outcrops in the gullies and other dissected areas. The major difference from Salt Creek, Anderson 1 and 2 and Stockdale land systems is that parts of the original plateau surface are preserved. Although deep sands do occur, duplex soils appear to dominate. Under the moderate to high rainfall the soils tend to he leached and acidic. Gully erosion is more likely in those areas with dispersive subsoils. On the deep sands a hardpan, probably siliceous, was observed but pans of coffee-rock are also to be expected. The vegetation on the sands indicates that they arc underlain by clay and/or that the nutrient status is not as low as on other leached deep sands.

Open forest II predominates and is often shrubby, particularly in drainage lines.

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Clifton- image

An almost flat plateau remnant, typical of this land system, with an open forest of Eucalyptus sideroxylon (red ironbark), E. polyanthemos (red box) and stringybark species.

CLIMATE Rainfall, mean (mm) Temperature, mean (°C) Seasonal growth limitations	Annual 700-1200; lowest July or August (40 - 70), highest October (60 - 90) Annual 12 - 14; lowest July (8 - 10), highest February (19 - 21) Temperature <10°C (av.): May - September Rainfall <potential evapotranspiration: November – March
GEOLOGY Age, lithology	Tertiary fan and colluvial apron deposits; unconsolidated gravels, sands, silts and clays (Sale Group)
PHYSIOGRAPHY Landscape Elevation range (m) Relative relief (m) Drainage pattern Drainage density (km/km²)	Dissected remnants of a Tertiary land surface 80 - 300 10 - 80 Dendritic 2.6
PRESENT LAND USE	Mostly uncleared: hardwood forestry (sleepers, poles and minor products); apiculture; small areas set aside for nature conservation within Glenmaggie Flora and Fauna Reserve; bush grazing of cattle (very limited) Minor proportion cleared: grazing of cattle and sheep; softwood plantations

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Clifton- cs

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Clifton- graph

LAND COMPONENT Percentage of land system Diagnostic features	1 10 Almost flat plateau remnants with deep surface sands	2 30 Almost flat plateau remnants with duplex soils	3 45 Broken slopes and small closely spaced steep spurs; deep duplex soils	4 15 Valley flats
PHYSIOGRAPHY Slope %, typical and (range) Slope shape	2 - 5, (0 - 10) Straight	2 - 5. (0 - 10) Straight	10 - 15, (5 - 30) Convex but variable	1. (0 - 5) Concave but variable
SOIL
Parent material	Clay, silt, sand and gravel			Alluvium: mostly lighter textures
Description	Limited observations — deep greyish brown sand. may have hardpan at depth; may be gravelly	Sand to sandy loam topsoil resting abruptly on yellowish brown acidic blocky clay subsoil		Mainly undifferentiated brown sandy loam over mottled substrata, sometimes of heavier texture
		Topsoil dark grey, subsoil strongly mottled	Topsoil brown or greyish brown, sometimes minor mottling in subsoil
Classification	Siliceous Sands and/or Podzols Uc5.13	Yellow Podzolic Soils Dy3.21. Dy3.41, Dy3.42	Yellow and Brown Podzolic Soils Dy2.41. Dy3.21, Db1.21	Alluvial Soils Uc1.41, Uc1.43, Uc5.23
Surface texture	Sand	Sand to sandy loam, sometimes gravelly		Sandy loam
Surface consistence	Soft when dry	Mainly soft to slightly hard when dry		Very friable when moist
Depth (m)	>2.0	>2.0		>2_.0
Nutrient status	Low	Low to moderate		Low to moderate
Available soil water capacity	Low	Low		Moderate
Perviousness to water	Rapid	Moderate to rapid		Rapid
Drainage	Good	Somewhat poor	Moderately good	Somewhat poor to good
Exposed stone (%)	0	0	0	0
Sampled profile number	-	48	-	-
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure of vegetation and characteristic species of dominant stratum (+ Predominant species)	Limited data — probably mainly open forest II of mixed species including E. sieberi. E. globoidea, E. muellerana	Open forest II, Mixed forests with E. sieberi or E. globoidea predominant; E. cypellocarpa, F. sideroxylon. E. polyanthemos. L. bridgesiana and E. macrorhyncha associated	Often shrubby: Mixed forests with E. globoidea predominant; E. cypellocarpa, E. bosistoana. E. polyanthemos associated	Shrubby open forest II or shrubby woodland II: Composition variable — E. polyanthemos or E. ovata usually predominant; E. obliqua sometimes associated. Melaleuca spp. and/or Leptospermum spp. dominate the understorey

Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Primary resultant deterioration			Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Form	Susceptibility of components	Incidence with components	Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Alteration of vegetation: — reduction in leaf area, rooting depth and/or perenniality	Reduced transpiration, resulting in increased deep percolation and leaching	Nutrient loss	1; high 2.3; low	Not determined	Removal of trees	Increased movement of water to groundwater: increased base-flow of streams
Increased exposure of surface soil	Increased overland flow and soil detachment	Sheet and rill erosion	1; very low 2: low 3: moderate	Uncommon; local occurrence on cleared land	Clearing, overgrazing, road and dam building and other earth-moving activities, rabbit burrowing, trafficking by stock and vehicles.	Increased flash flows and sediment load.
Increased physical pressure on soil	Increased compaction With reduced infiltration	Structure decline Sheet and rill erosion	1,2,3,4; low 1; very low 2; low 3; moderate	Uncommon; local occurrence on cleared land Uncommon: local occurrence on cleared land	Increased trafficking cultivation, overgrazing, export of organic matter As for sheet and rill erosion above	- Increased flash flows
Increased soil disruption	Increased soil break-up	Gully erosion	1: very low 2: low 3: moderate	Uncommon; local occurrence	As for sheet and rill erosion above	Increased sediment load.
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