GL17

Location: Casterton

Australian Soil Classification: Mottled, Natric, Black KUROSOL (confidence level 1)
General Landscape Description: Level to gently undulating plain
Site Description: Lower slope / drainage depression
Land Unit: Dundas Redgum
Geology: Cainozoic duricrust

General Land Unit Description:
The flat surface of the Dundas Tablelands predominantly consists of Brown Chromosols and to a lesser extent Yellow Chromosols with a ferric horizon, typically occurring above the clay subsoil. The soil is commonly developed over a highly weathered mottled zone. This red and white mottling, sometimes referred to as ‘tiger mottles’, is thought to be the result of deep chemical weathering which occurred during the late Tertiary period. Red gums are the dominant vegetation found on this surface. This site occurs on a drainage depression and therefore the topsoil may be a result of more recent accumulation.

Soil Profile Morphology

A11	0-5 cm	Very dark brown (10YR2/2); loamy sand, weak fine subangular blocky structure; pH 6.0; changes to:
A12	5-25 cm	Very dark grey (10YR3/2); loamy sand; massive structure; pH 6.0; diffuse change to:
A13	25-45 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2), bleached (10YR6/1d); sand; massive structure, pH 6.0; clear change to:
Subsoil
B21	45-80 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2), with many faint orange and yellow mottles; medium heavy clay; weak medium subangular blocky structure; pH 5.3; abrupt change to:
B22	80-120 cm	Reddish brown (2.5YR4/3), with many distinct yellow and orange mottles; medium clay; weak medium to fine subangular blocky structure; contains a few coarse fragments; pH 5.4; changes to:
BC	120-180+ cm	pH 6.4.

Key profile features:

Deep sandy topsoil
Strongly acidic subsoil
Strong texture contrast between topsoil and subsoil
Strongly sodic subsoil at depth
Bleached A2 horizon
Mottled subsoil

Profile Described By: Natalie Baxter and Grant Boyle, 2nd October 2000.

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