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Cape Otway Land System

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In the vicinity of Cape Otway and extending discontinuously to the west is an elevated plain of coastal dunes. The coastal margins of the plain are generally fronted by 100 m cliffs of calcarenite with possibly small primary dunes at the base of the cliffs. Behind the cliffs, the plain has an irregular dune topography that may extend several kilometres inland. The demarcation to other land systems is very sharp and easily defined.

Woodlands of Eucalyptus viminalis with open grassy understoreys used to cover most areas, although shrubs resistant to salt- and salt-laden winds formerly colonized the coastal localities. Most areas have been cleared for grazing, but the establishment of improved pastures present difficulties. Overgrazing has resulted in severe wind erosion in some areas, and reclamation is difficult and expensive.
A Study of land in the catchments of the Otway Range and adjacent plains - cape otway
A Study of land in the catchments of the Otway Range and adjacent plains - cape otway
Large parts of the Cape Otway land system have been cleared
and provide rough grazing for cattle on native grasses.
A Study of land in the catchments of the Otway Range and adjacent plains - cape otway


Area: 36 km
2
Component and its proportion of land system
1
6%
2
4%
3
20%
4
20%
5
10%
6
40%
CLIMATE
Rainfall, mm

Annual
: 900 – 1,100, lowest January (45), highest July (105)
Temperature, 0oC
Annual: 14, lowest July (10), highest February (18)
Temperature: less than 10oC (av.) July
Precipitation: less than potential evapotranspiration late November - February
GEOLOGY
Age, lithology

Recent sand and shell grit on a calcarenite basement
TOPOGRAPHY
Landscape

Elevated longitudinal coastal dunes at and to the west of Cape Otway
Elevation, m
0 – 155
Local relief, m
15
Drainage pattern
Mainly absent; some dendritic areas
Drainage density, km/km2
0.7
Land form
Foredune
Cliff
Longitudinal dune
Interdune corridor
Inland dune
Land form element
-
-
Windward slopes
Leeward slopes
-
-
Slope (and range), %
20 (15-40)
65 (50-100)
25 (5-50)
20 (5-50)
3 (0-9)
25 (3-60)
Slope shape
Convex
Linear
Convex
Convex
Concave
Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION
Structure

Tussock grassland

Open scrub

Open scrub

Woodland

Open forest

Woodland
Dominant species
Spinifex hirsutus, Scirpus nodosus, Calocephalus brownii
Casuarina stricta, Casuarina longifolia, Alyxia buxifolia
Alyxia buxifolia, Leucopogon parviflorus, Cassinia longifolia, Acacia verticillata, Leptospermum juniperinum, Helichrysum paralium
Casuarina stricta,
E. viminalis, Leucopogon parviflorus
E. obliqua
E. viminalis
E. viminalis
SOIL
Parent material
Coarse sand, shell grit
Calcarenite, aeolian sand
Sand with calcarenite basement
Sand with calcarenite basement
Sand with calcarenite basement
Sand with calcarenite basement
Description
Yellow calcareous sand soils, uniform texture
Yellow calcareous sand soils, uniform texture
Brown calcareous sand soils, uniform texture
Brown calcareous sand soils, uniform texture
Red-yellow calcareous sand soils, uniform texture
Red-yellow calcareous sand soils, uniform texture
Surface texture
Coarse sand
Coarse sand
Loamy sand
Loamy sand
Loamy sand
Loamy sand
Permeability
Very high
Very high
Very high
Very high
Very high
Very high
Depth, m
>2
0.3
>2
>2
>2
1.9
LAND USE
Cleared areas: Beef cattle grazing on unimproved pastures; mining of calcarenite; residential; active recreation.
Uncleared areas: Forest grazing of beef cattle; active and passive recreation; nature conservation; landscape conservation.
SOIL DETERIORATION HAZARD
Critical land features, processes, forms
Dune inherently unstable due to cyclical marine erosion. Low fertility, low water-holding capacity and vegetation sensitive to disturbance lead to wind erosion and leaching of nutrients.
Weakly structured sand soils of low water-holding capacity on steep slopes with vegetation sensitive to disturbance and salt pruning are prone to sheet erosion by wind and water.
Weakly structured sand soils with low water-holding capacities, subjected to strong on-shore winds are prone to wind erosion. Low inherent fertility, high alkalinity and rapid leaching lea to nutrient decline.
Weakly structured sand soils with low water-holding capacities are prone to wind erosion. Low inherent fertility, high alkalinity and rapid leaching to nutrient decline.
Low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to nutrient decline.
Weakly structured sand soils with low water-holding capacities are prone to wind erosion. Low inherent fertility and high permeability lead to nutrient decline.
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