Soil/Landform Unit 10

The north-south crest visible in the Lal Lal State Forest indicates the boundary of this unit (towards Mount Buninyong) with the neighbouring Ordovician low hills (largely the Lal Lal State forest)

Area:

1423 ha

0.11% of CMA region

Gentle plains and rises associated with Ordovician sandstones and shales are found south-east of Mount Buninyong as part of a sequence of Ordovician landforms extending to Lal Lal Reservoir. This unit within the Western Uplands has a lower level of remnant vegetation then neighbouring Ordovician units (

and

). Native vegetation classes of these low hills include Grassy Dry and Herb-rich Foothill Forests as well as Swampy Riparian and Grassy Woodlands. Land use is mainly grazing with minor cropping, however there are some minor hardwood/softwood plantations within this unit. The urban spread from Ballarat and Buninyong is an emerging land use, which should be considered. Soils include red and black strongly structured earth on crests, yellow and brown texture contrast and gradational soils, and minor black and brown texture contrast soils on the slopes and drainage depressions. The main hazards to land use are overland flow causing sheet and rill erosion, and gully erosion where subsoils are exposed. Soils are particularly limited for agricultural land use by their low inherent fertility and water holding capacity. Swamps and saline discharge may also occur within this unit.

The gentle plains and rises are mainly used for grazing and minor cropping. Residiential development is also increasingly popular
	Swamps are located within the gentle plains and rises east of Mount Buninyong

Component	1	2	3
Proportion of soil-landform unit	10%	85%	5%
CLIMATE Rainfall (mm)	Annual: 1000
Temperature (^oC)	Minimum 6, Maximum 16
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration	November-March
GEOLOGY Age and lithology	Orodivican marine sandstone and shale, Quaternary basalt and minor alluvium, Devonian granite
Geomorphology	2.1.1 Dissected Western Uplands associated with Palaeozoic sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
LANDUSE	Uncleared: Nature conservation; water supply Cleared: Sheet and beef cattle grazing softwood plantations; cropping (cereal)
TOPOGRAPHY Landscape	Undulating plains and rises
Elevation range (m)	488-591
Local relief (m)	10
Drainage pattern	Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km²)	2.2
Landform	Undulating plains
Landform element	Crest	Long gentle slopes	Drainage line
Slope and range (%)	2 (1-3)	4 (3-9)	1 (1-3)
Slope shape	Convex	Straight	Concave
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure	Woodland	Open forest	Open forest
Dominant species	E. obliqua, E. radiata	E. obliqua, E. viminalis	E. ovata, E. obliqua
SOIL Parent material	In situ weathered sandstone and shale, basalt	In situ sandstone and shale	Alluvial clay, silt, sand and gravel
Description (Corangamite Soil Group)	Shallow stony red gradational soil (40)	Red mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soil (25)	Mottled yellow and red, brown gradational soil (25)
Soil type sites	BD5, SW96, SW26	CLRA53, BD10, CLRA57	CLRA53, BD10, SW67
Surface texture	Gravelly loam	Loamy clay	Clay loam
Permeability	High	Moderate to low	Low to modeate
Depth (m)	0.6	1	2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS	Hardsetting surface soils lead to compaction and are subject to overland flow and sheet and rill erosion. Dispersive subsoils and leaching of salts may alos be features of these soil types.	Hardsetting surface soils lead to compaction and are subject to overland flow, gully erosion and sheet and rill erosion. Leaching of salts may also be features of these soil types.	Moderate dispersible and poorly drained soils lead to discharge sites for salinity with accumulation of salts occurring. Hardsetting surface soils may lead to overland flow and gully erosion.

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