Soil/Landform Unit - Wail parabolic dunes

Landform Unit Description

Looking south towards Dimboola and dunes to its south

Area: 3295 ha

0.14% of CMA region

Dunes and sand plains south of Dimboola are part of a

siliceous

dunefield complex within the North West Dunefields and Plains. This complex of

Quaternary

aeolian

sediments in the form of parabolic dunes forms part of the Little Desert, but has been dissected by the Wimmera River and has sharp boundaries with the clay plains to the east. There are four components with dune slopes dominant and dune crests sub-dominant. Sandy soils (with and without pans) are mainly found on dunes with brown, yellow and grey

sodic

texture contrast soils (

Sodosols

) common on plains and in local depressions. Wind erosion is a local threat where topsoils are light textured and exposed. This unit is used for nature conservation and grazing (sheep, beef cattle). Vegetation consists of a range of woodland, heathland and mallee vegetation including Shallow Sands Woodland, Riparian Woodland, Riverine Chenopod Woodland, Dunefield heathland, Lowan Sands Mallee and Low Rises Woodland. Plains Savannah has also been recorded.

Suimple slopes and parabolic dunes near Wail covered with native vegetation
	Nature trail across parabolic dune

Component	1	2	3	4
Proportion of soil-landform unit	25%	60%	10%	5%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 420
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 420
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 8, Maximum 22
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	September–April
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Neogene marine sand and silt (Parilla Sand); Quaternary aeolian dune sand (Lowan Sand); Quaternary alluvium, gravel, sand and silt
GEOLOGY Age and lithology
Geomorphology	5.2.1 Parabolic dunes of the Siliceous North West Dunefields and Plains
LANDUSE	Uncleared areas: nature conservation Cleared areas: sheep and beef cattle grazing
LANDUSE
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Parabolic dunes
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Parabolic dunes
Elevation range (m)	104–156
Local relief (m)	5
Drainage pattern	Deranged
Drainage density (km/km²)	0.1
Landform	Dunefields		Plains
Landform element	Dune crest	Dune slope	Level plain	Playa
Slope and range (%)	3 (2-6)	2 (1-5)	1 (0-3)	1 (0-2)
Slope shape	Convex	Linear	Straight	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class	Dunefield Heathland (43.7%), Low Rises Woodland (26.4%), Shallow Sands Woodland (12.7%), Riverine Chenopod Woodland (7.6%), Other (8.8%)
NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class
SOIL Parent material	Aeolian dune sand	Aeolian dune sand	Marine sand and silt	Paludal sand and silt, alluvial gravel, sand and silt
SOIL Parent material	Aeolian dune sand	Aeolian dune sand	Marine sand and silt	Paludal sand and silt, alluvial gravel, sand and silt
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Sandy soils with and without pans (31) and sodic yellow and grey texture contrast soils (32)	Sandy soils with and without pans (31) and sodic yellow and grey texture contrast soils (32)	Sodic yellow and grey texture contrast soils (32)	Seasonally wet soils: sodic yellow and grey texture contrast soils (33)
Soil type sites	WLRA74, WLRA85, LSWW8	WLRA74, WLRA85, LSWW8	LSWW8, LSWW7, WIA24, WIA31	NA171, NA141, NA178
Surface texture	Loamy sand	Loamy sand	Loamy sand	Sand
Permeability	High	High	Slow	Slow
Depth (m)	> 1.5	> 1.5	> 1.5	> 1.5
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS Critical land features, processes, forms	Soils with low organic matter levels can be susceptible to wind and sheet erosion where exposed. Low inherent soil fertility.	Soils with low organic matter levels can be susceptible to wind and sheet erosion where exposed. Low inherent soil fertility.	Susceptible to wind and sheet erosion where exposed. Low inherent fertility but well drained to pans or subsoil. Susceptible to compaction where hardsetting and poor drainage occurs.	Susceptible to seasonal inundation, waterlogging and ultimately soil salinity. Upper soils susceptible to sheet erosion and wind erosion when exposed.

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