Soil/Landform Unit 52

Landform Unit Description

Unit 52 image a
This gentle plain east of Yendon are mainly used for grazing and cropping. There is some recent residential development near this site
      Area: 1623 ha
      0.12% of CMA region

      The gently undulating basalt plains in the Navigators-Yendon area form part of a sequence of volcanic landforms within the Western Plains. These plains are characterised by gently undulating slopes that have steep short slopes on their eastern margin. The vegetation classes include Plains Grassy Woodland, Grassy Woodland, Valley Grassy Forest and Swampy Riparian Woodland with the dominant species being manna gum (E. viminalis), swamp gum (E ovata), messmate stringybark (E. obliqua) and Candlebark (E. rubida). The area consists of a variety of texture contrast soils. The colour of the surface soil on the upper slopes tends to be browner than the grey lower slopes. There are minor occurrences of friable red gradational soils. Land use is mainly grazing for beef cattle and sheep, and cereal cropping. Residential development around Yendon is a minor land use. Soil compaction is a problem on the lower slopes and depressions where minor gully erosion and waterlogging also occur on these texture contrast soils.
Unit 52 geomorphology

Unit 52 image b
The flat represents an alluvial plain between the
resistant basalt flow and the neighbouring granite		Unit 52 cross section

Unit 52 graph

Component
1
2
3
4
5
6
Proportion of soil-landform unit
60%
2%
2%
8%
1%
27%
CLIMATE
Rainfall (mm)

Annual: 880
Temperature (oC)
Minimum 6, Maximum 17
Precipitation less than potential evapotranspiration
November-March
GEOLOGY
Age and lithology

Quaternary basalt, Devonian granite and Recent clay, sand and gravel
Geomorphology
LANDUSE
Uncleared: Nature conservation
Cleared: Beef cattle and sheep grazing; cropping
TOPOGRAPHY
Landscape

Gently undulating plains
Elevation range (m)
466-570
Local relief (m)
2
Drainage pattern
Dendritic
Drainage density (km/km2)
2.2
Landform
Depressions
Undulating plain
Terrace
Landform element
Long gentle upper slopes
Depressions
Stony rises
Gentle slopes
Depressions
Slope and range (%)
2 (1-3)
1 (1-2)
3 (2-5)
4 (1-6)
1 (1-2)
1 (1-2)
Slope shape
Straight
Straight
Convex
Convex
Straight
Straight
NATIVE VEGETATION
Ecological Vegetation Class

Plains Grassy Woodland (5.2%), Grassy Woodland (0.9%), Valley Grassy Forest (0.3%), Swampy Riparian Woodland (0.2%)
Dominant species
E. ovata, E. viminalis,
E. rubida, E. obliqua
E. ovata, E. viminalis,
E. rubida, E. obliqua
E. ovata, E. viminalis,
E. rubida, E. obliqua
E. viminalis, E. radiata,
E. obliqua
E. viminalis, E. radiata,
E. obliqua
E. viminalis, E. radiata
SOIL
Parent material

In situ weathered basalt

Alluvium

In situ weathered basalt

In situ weathered basalt

In situ weathered basalt

Unconsolidated gravel, sand, silty and clay
Description
(Corangamite Soil Group)
Mottled yellow, grey sodic texture contrast soil, coarse structure (35)
Black clay soil, coarse structure (31)
Red shallow, stony gradational soil (40)
Red gradational soil, fine structure (40)
Mottled brown, grey or yellow texture contrast soil, coarse structure (37)
Dark brown soil (variable) (34)
Soil type sites
Surface texture
Clay loam
Clay
Clay loam
Clay loam
Clay loam
Fine sandy clay loam
Permeability
Moderate to low
Moderate
High
High
Moderate to low
Moderate to low
Depth (m)
1.5
1.5
0.5
2
1.5
2
LAND CHARACTERISTICS, POTENTIAL AND LIMITATIONS
Hardsetting surfaces and slowly permeable subsoils often result in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Soil compaction and sheet erosion also occur.
Clay soils beside creeks are prone to waterlogging. Streambank undercutting and streambank erosion occur where streambanks are exposed without adequate ground coverage.
Overland flow, sheet erosion and nutrient decline are very minor. These soils have a high agricultural versatility but are limited by surface stones.
Hardsetting surfaces and slowly permeable subsoils often result in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Soil compaction and sheet erosion also occur.
Hardsetting surfaces and slowly permeable subosils often result in overland flow and periodic waterlogging. Soil compaction and sheet erosion also occur.
Low-lying areas receiving drainage are prone to waterlogging and overland flow. Streambank erosion and gully erosion occur where soils are exposed without adequate ground coverage.
CC BY 3.0 AU

This page contains material sourced from the Victorian Resources Online (VRO) website, originally published by the State Government of Victoria. The content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence . The material has been adapted and re-formatted; no endorsement by the Victorian Government is implied.