Soil/Landform Unit 194
Landform Unit Description
Page top
 Level plains of the black cracking clays near the Moolap Sunklands |
0.02% of CMA region This unit within the Corangamite catchment is located south-west of Geelong near Point Henry. This single unit of the Western Plains consists of very low relief level plain with subsequent poor site drainage. This unit could easily be identified as a level plain with volcanic origins or as a relic swamp/terrace of sedimentary derivation. It forms part of the Moolap Sunklands east of Geelong, with the Neogene escarpment to the east, other flats associated with the Barwon River to the west, and Corio Bay to the north. This area is also recognised for the salt works, and tidal influences on these flats and surrounding coastal swamps. Native remnant vegetation is absent from this unit. The soil is a cracking clay with friable self-mulching surface soils which may be more gradational at its edges, and is mainly used for grazing, with some cropping on higher elevated positions. It has a high nutrient holding capacity, but its heavy nature requires considered timing for optimal use. |  |
 Land use on these plains is limited to grazing and nature conservation |  |
 |  Broad level plains with black cracking soils |
Component | 1 |
Proportion of soil-landform unit | 100% |
| CLIMATE Rainfall (mm) | Annual: 560 |
| Temperature (oC) | Minimum 10, Maximum 19 |
| Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration | September–April |
| GEOLOGY Age and lithology | Neogene fluvial and marine sediments and Quaternary scoria deposits |
| Geomorphology | |
| LANDUSE | Uncleared: Nature conservation; water supply; active and passive recreation Cleared: Beef cattle and sheep grazing; regional development |
| TOPOGRAPHY Landscape | Near level plains |
| Elevation range (m) | 4–15 |
| Local relief (m) | 1 |
| Drainage pattern | Deranged |
| Drainage density (km/km2) | 0.6 |
| Landform | Plains |
| Landform element | Level plains |
| Slope and range (%) | 0 (0–1) |
| Slope shape | Straight |
| NATIVE VEGETATION Ecological Vegetation Class | Absent |
| SOIL Parent material | Riverine and estuarine colluvium and alluvium |
| Description (Corangamite Soil Group) | |
| Soil type sites | |
| Surface texture | Clay loam to medium clay |
| Permeability | Low to moderate |
| Depth (m) | >2 |
| LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS | Strongly structured soils but expansive clay. High organic matter content of friable upper soil. High nutrient capacity, calcareous at depth and sodic. Site drainage is slow. |
© State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) 1996 - .
This work, Victorian Resources Online, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) as author, indicate if changes were made and comply with the other licence terms.
The licence does not apply to ‘branding’ or some ‘images or photographs’ that may be owned by third parties. We ask you to seek prior approval to use images using the VRO feedback form. Access to higher quality images can also be provided on request.
This page was last updated on .