GHF03a

Location: Bessiebelle

Australian Soil Classification: Brown CHROMOSOL (thick sandy surface horizons)
General Landscape Description: Gently undulating Plain
Site Description: Flat
Land Unit: Follet Dunes and Plains
Geology: Quaternary aeolian

General Land Unit Description: The majority of this land unit falls south of the Kanawinka fault. This land unit comprises areas with deep sand deposits. The residual landscape is thought to be influenced by the retreat of the Murray Sea which left stranded beach ridges oriented south west–north east. These were subsequently covered by superficial sand sheets in later depositional phases, which formed the landscape we see today.

The major landforms in this land unit are dunes and swales. Podosols and Kurosols or Chromosols are the major soil types found on the dunes and rises. Podosols are soils with a ‘coffee rock’ layer (refer to photograph below). The Kurosols or Chromosols tend to have a deep sandy topsoil over the clay. The common soil types on the swales are black cracking clay (Vertosols) or Grey Sodosols. Some Ferric Kurosols or Chromosols can also occur on the swales or lower slopes of the dunes.






Soil Profile Morphology

Surface

A1	0-20 cm	Very dark grey (10YR3/1) loamy sand; single grain structure; very weak consistence when dry; many medium roots; clear and smooth transition to:
A2	20-40 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when dry; few fine roots; clear and smooth transition to:
Subsoil
Bs	40-50 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6), sand; single grain structure; loose consistence when dry; very many very coarse ferruginous nodules; few very fine roots; sharp and smooth transition to:
B21	50-90 cm	Brown (10YR5/8) with few medium distinct red (2.5YR4/8) mottles, medium clay; weak polyhedral structure (20-50 mm) parting to moderate polyhedral structure (10-20 mm); firm consistence when moderately moist; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; few very fine roots; diffuse and smooth transition to:
B22	90-145 cm	Light grey (10YR7/2) with common very coarse prominent red (2.5YR4/8) and brownish yellow (10YR6/8) mottles, medium clay (with sand); weak polyhedral structure (20-50 mm); firm consistence when moderately moist; common very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.06%; no roots observed; diffuse and smooth transition to:
B3	145-180 cm	Light grey (10YR7/2) with few coarse prominent red (2.5YR4/8) and brownish yellow (10YR6/8) mottles, sandy clay; massive structure; weak consistence when moist; few very fine macropores; areal porosity 0.01%; no roots observed.
	180-260 cm	Similar to layer above.
	260-300 cm	Heavy grey clays with slickensides, very large units dug by backhoe, live roots to 300 cm.
	300-400 cm	Heavy grey clays (slickensides) with pockets of yellow brown silt/sand, some limestone, remnant roots to 400 cm.