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Land Systems

A Study of the Land in the Catchments to the North of Melbourne

Soil and Land types of the Lower Maribyrnong Valley (and erosion risk ratings)
Upper Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges Soils and Landforms of South-Western Victoria
A Study of the Land in the Proposed Yarra Valley Metropolitan ParkSoil Types Map of Stonnington Shire
Mount Dandenong Foothills - Land Capability Study - Kilsyth Study Area

The former Soil Conservation Authority began an inventory of Victoria's lands in the 1950's, led by R.G Downes who saw the need to include data on land characteristics and processes in planning land use and management. The Land Systems method was subsequently developed, with Frank Gibbons, Jim Rowan and Ken Rowe (amongst others) prominent in its application. The resultant studies identify Land Systems and their land components. These studies provide information on factors affecting production, susceptibility to processes of soil degradation, and land management.

The Land Systems method involves an ecological approach - integrating environmental features often mapped singly, eg. rainfall, geology, topography, soils and indigenous vegetation. Patterns occur, governed by climate, geology and landform, which interact over time to influence the distribution of soils and vegetation. A Land System is therefore a complex mapping unit that contains a pattern of land components each of which has little variation in climate, lithology (rock type), landform, soil and indigenous vegetation. The land component can therefore be regarded as a unit of management for broad-scale uses such as dryland farming or forestry.


Land System surveys have generally resulted in maps at 1:100 000 to 1:250 000 scale being produced. Many of these published studies describe (but do not map) the individual components of each Land System. A consistent statewide coverage of Land Systems (at 1:250 000 scale) was developed by Jim Rowan (1990) and has subsequently been updated with new information.

A number of Land System survey reports will be made available on this site over time as downloadable reports.
Image: Example of a Land System and it's five land components
Example of a Land System and it's five land components
Reference

Rowan, J. (1990). Land Systems of Victoria. Department of Conservation and Environment and Land Conservation Council.
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