Victorian Resources Online (archived)

Roseneath (Symbol: Rn)

Profile No. 41 (Aldrick et al, 1982)

Geology
Recent marine sediments mantled with some aeolian sediments.

Landform
Marine plain. Plains comprising clay flats and some small saline swamps, often mantled by sand. These plains have been formed by the exposure of earlier lake floors and occur mainly around Lake Wellington.

Remnant vegetation adjoining Holland’s Landing Road

Previous maps and reports
This map unit was mapped as Clydebank Land System by Aldrick et al. (1992) and under Roseneath and Wulla Wullock by Nicholson (1978). Areas where extensive dunefields occur are mapped as the Seacombe map unit.

Soils
Many of the surface soils are slightly acidic dark grey clays but north of Lake Wellington within the Strathfieldsaye Estate the clays are often mantled by a thin layer of sand. With depth the soil generally becomes alkaline and increasingly saline.

Native Vegetation
Swamp scrub.

Land use
Mostly cleared and used for grazing.

Profile No. 41 (Aldrick et al, 1982)

Location: 4 km SE of Meerlieu	Geo. Ref.: 536500E 5890800N
Australian Soil Classification: Epihypersodic, Epipedal, Black VERTOSOL	Grey cracking clay
General landscape description: Plain
Geology: Holocene lacustrine sediments
Site description: <1% slope
Land use: Grazing
Native vegetation: Swamp scrub
Map unit: Roseneath

Soil profile morphology

Surface soil

A11	0 - 4 cm	Very dark brown (10YR2/2); organic clay loam; weak very fine (5 mm) subangular blocky structure; slightly hard consistence, dry; abrupt change to:
A12	4 – 12 cm	Very dark grey (10YR3/1); loamy clay; weak fine (10 mm) subangular blocky structure; hard consistence dry; clear change to:
B21	12 – 25 cm	Very dark greyish brown (10YR3/2); medium clay; moderate fine (10 mm) subangular blocky structure; very firm consistence moist; clear change to:
B22	28 – 80 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/4); heavy clay; common distinct yellowish brown mottles (5 – 14 mm); moderate medium angular blocky structure; very firm moist; some water-worn gravel between 10 and 30 cm; clear boundary to:
C1	80 – 110 cm	Light grey (10YR7/2); clay loam; common distinct yellowish brown mottles (>15 mm); moderate angular block structure; firm moist; 3% calcareous nodules.

Key profile features

Clay textures throughout the profile.

Soil profile characteristics

Horizon	Depth cm	Field texture	pH water	EC dS/m	Gravel %	Coarse sand %	Fine sand %	Silt %	Clay %	Field cap. % w/w	Wilt. point % w/w	PAW* water % w/w
A11	0-4	Org CL	5.7	0.18	8	2	21	13	51
A12	4-10	C	5.9	0.11	5	13	25	14	45
B21	12-20	MC	6.8	0.14	17	4	30	25	38
B22	30-60	HC	8.3	1.20	11	7	32	13	51
C1	90-110	CL	9.3	2.20	41	4	38	15	45

* PAW refers to plant available water. This is the difference between the soil’s water content at field capacity and wilting point.

Depth	Org C	Total N	Free Fe₂O₃	Exch. Al	Exchangeable cations cmol(+)/kg							Ca:Mg	ESP
cm	%	%	% w/w	ppm	Ca	Mg	K	Na	Total	H	CEC
0-4	7.7	0.57	0.7		4.3	4.5	1.7	1.2	11.7	23.9	35.6	1.0	3
4-10	3.0	0.27	0.7		2.8	3.2	0.9	1.1	8.0	16.8	24.8	0.9	4
12-20	1.5	0.14	1.1		4.1	6.8	0.7	2.5	14.1	8.6	22.7	0.6	11
30-60			1.7		4.2	11.4	1.0	7.9	24.5	4.3	28.2	0.4	28
90-110			0.4		4.8	9.2	0.7	7.7	22.4		22.4	0.5	34

Management considerations

Whole profile

No additional lime or potassium is needed for pasture growth.

Surface (A) horizons

When the soil is dry, heavy rains will move down cracks. This rapid recharge will be valuable for the survival of plants near wilting. When wet, the soil will swell and further infiltration of water will be relatively slow.
The surface soil will be difficult to manage, being hard and cloddy when dry and firm and sticky when wet. As a consequence, these soils are generally suited to pasture production. Tillage or overstocking of these soils should be avoided if the soil is wet.

Subsoil (B) horizons

From a depth of 30 cm the soil is extremely sodic and has high and harmful levels of soluble salts. This would greatly restrict root growth.

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