Haunted Hills (HH)

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Haunted Hills- geo

Area: 29 sq. km (0.2%)

This land system occurs on Tertiary deposits uplifted with the South Victorian Uplands and the Yallourn Monocline movements. It is deeply dissected and elevation and relief are higher than in many other areas of Tertiary materials. The terrain consists of very high hills or low mountains, typically with a ridge-and-ravine topography and sometimes with very steep slopes, such as in the Yallourn North and Kornalla areas. Some broad ridge crests and less-steep slopes do occur.

The soil parent materials, which range from gravelly deposits to clays, have been variably modified by weathering processes. All the soils observed have deep clayey subsoils and leached acidic profiles. The upper horizons are commonly loamy or sandy. In places the subsoils and underlying layers are highly dispersive and tend to become fluid when wet. They are susceptible to gullying and slumping.

The vegetation is mainly open forest II with open forest III in drainage gullies and ravines.

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Haunted Hills- image

Broad ridge crests and spurs with a few short, steep side-slopes.

CLIMATE Rainfall, mean (mm) Temperature, mean (°C) Seasonal growth limitations	Annual 700 - 1200; lowest January (40 - 70), highest October (70 - 100) Annual 12 - 14; lowest July (8 - 10), highest February (19 - 21) Temperature <10°C (av.): May - September Rainfall < potential evapotranspiration: November – March
GEOLOGY Age, lithology	Unconsolidated Tertiary deposits of sands, clays and gravels
PHYSIOGRAPHY Landscape Elevation range (m) Relative relief (m) Drainage pattern Drainage density (km/km²)	Steep hills and low mountains with mainly ridge-and-ravine topography 60 - 300 100 - 200 Dendritic 1.3
PRESENT LAND USE	Mostly uncleared: hardwood forestry (minor timber products); apiculture; bush grazing of cattle (limited). Minor proportion cleared: grazing of beef and dairy cattle and sheep on improved pastures

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Gunyah- cs

A study of the land in the Catchment of Gippsland Lakes - Vol 2 - land system Gunyah- graph

LAND COMPONENT Percentage of land system Diagnostic features	1 60 Steep slopes, in places showing evidence of landslides	2 30 Broad ridge crests	3 10 Steeper slopes of drainage gullies and ravines
PHYSIOGRAPHY Slopes %, typical and (range) Slope shape	20 - 25, (10 - 40) Straight	4, (0 - 10) Convex	15 - 20, (10 - 25) Straight
SOIL
Parent material	Very variable — sand, clay, gravel; ferruginised and silicified sediment; rarely, basaltic colluvium from adjacent land systems
Description	Variable; depending on local parent material— commonly gradational and duplex profiles, mainly with yellowish brown, less frequently with reddish brown, clay subsoil; moderately to strongly acid. May contain gravel		Limited observations — probably similar to components 1 and 2 with shallower variants on very steep slopes
Classification	Yellow Earths, Yellow Podzolic Soils, Red Podzolic Soils/Krasnozems Gn2.84, Gn3.14, Gn4.51, Dy3.11, Dy5.21		Brown Earths Gn4.82
Surface texture		Very variable; loamy sand to sandy clay loam	-
Surface consistence		Hard, sometimes slightly hard
Depth (m)		>2.0
Nutrient status		Usually low
Available soil water capacity		Low to moderate
Perviousness to water		Slow
Drainage		Somewhat poor to good
Exposed stone (%)		0
Sampled profile number		-
NATIVE VEGETATION Structure of vegetation and characteristic species of dominant stratum (+ Predominant species)	Open forest II: Usually mixed forests with species composition E. consideniana, E. obliqua, E. radiata,	Open forest II: and predominance variable — including E. sieberi E. dives, E. cypellocarpa	Open forest III, often shrubby: Usually mixed forests with species composition and predominance variable — including E. consideniana, E. obliqua, E. radiata, E. sieberi, E. dives, E. cypellocarpa; E. viminalis on occasional alluvium in gullies

Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Primary resultant deterioration			Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Disturbance	Affected process and trend	Form	Susceptibility of components	Incidence with components	Casual activities	Primary off-site process
Alteration of vegetation: — reduction in leaf area, rooting depth and/or perenniality	Reduced transpiration, resulting in: a) increased deep percolation b) increased regolith wetness	Not determined Landslip	Not determined 1,3; low - moderate	Not determined Uncommon: but common in specific areas of component 3	Removal of trees Usually after the removal of trees from steeper land	Increased movement of water to groundwater; increased base-flow of streams Increased sediment load
Increased exposure of surface soil	Increased overland flow and soil detachment	Sheet and rill erosion	1,3; high 2; moderate	Uncommon	Clearing, logging, burning, overgrazing, road and dam building and other earth-moving activities, trafficking by stock.	Increased flash flows and sediment load.
Increased physical pressure on soil	Increased compaction With Reduced infiltration	Structure decline Sheet and rill erosion	1,2; low - moderate 3; moderate 1,3; high 2; moderate	Uncommon Uncommon	Increased trafficking, cultivation, overgrazing, export of organic matter As for sheet and rill erosion above	- Increased flash flows
Increased soil disruption	Increased soil break-up	Gully erosion Streambank erosion	1,3; high 2; moderate 3; moderate - high	Uncommon Uncommon	As for sheet and rill erosion above As for sheet and rill erosion above	Increased sediment load. Increased sediment load
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