Victorian Resources Online (archived)

Murra Warra Group

The Murra Warra group are the brown and red self-mulching cracking clays. These have been subdivided into two sub-groups each of which include two soil series. These sub-groups and their corresponding series are as follows:

Brown self-mulching cracking clays:
Murra Warra Series - 1
Murra Warra Series - 2

Red self-mulching cracking clays:
Murra Warra Series - 3
Murra Warra Series - 4

Murra Warra Series - 1

The soil profile is characterised by having a dominantly strong brown to yellow-brown horizon immediately below the self-mulching surface layer. Color mottling may occur (or increase) with depth. The main subsoil colors however, remain basically unchanged to at least 150 cm. This series includes one soil type and one phase:

Murra Warra Clay - Type 1 (MWc-1)

Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

10-15 cm thick.
Greyish brown to dark brown.
Medium to heavy clay.
Slightly friable to non-friable.
Occasional to trace amounts of hard CaCO₃.

Subsoil

Brown to strong brown, may gradually become slightly mottled with depth
Streaks of surface material 'in-fills' may occur.
Medium to heavy clay.
Slightly friable to non-friable.
Trace to slight amounts of soft and/or hard CaCO₃; may increase up to light amounts with depth.
Fine crystals of gypsum may occur in isolated pockets in the deep subsoils.

Analytical Data for Selected Depths Down the Profile:

Depth	pH	Total Soluble Salts	Sodium Chloride	Moisture Retention @ 15-Bar	Moisture Retention @ 1/3-Bar
-	-8.1	%	%	%	%
A	8.1	0.042	0.005	17.3	29.7
B	8.8	0.059	0.007	23.9	39.3
C	9.3	0.148	0.039	26.2	47.2

Occurrence:

This soil type is commonly found intermingled with the Kalkee clay soils, on the gently undulating gilgai plains. Murra Warra clay-type 1 occurs mainly on the gilgai mounds and the intermediate and upper slopes.

Friable phase:

In comparison with the main type (MWc-1), the soil profile of this phase is generally more friable throughout. When dry, the surface soils are soft and when wet they range from friable to very friable. The subsoils are often hard to moderately hard (dry) and friable to very friable (moist).

This phase occupies similar topographical positions as for the main type (above) and its improved consistence is often produced through means of landuse management (e.g. the addition of gypsum).

Murra Warra Series - 2

The soil profile is characterised by having a dominantly strong brown to yellow-brown horizon immediately below the self-mulching surface layer. Color mottling may occur (or increase) with depth. The main subsoil colors however, gradually become more greyer and/or yellower before 150 cm. This series includes one soil type and one phase:

Murra Warra Clay - Type 2 (MWc-2)

Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

10-15 cm thick.
Dark greyish brown to dark reddish brown or brown.
Medium to heavy clay.
Slightly friable to non-friable.
Occasional to trace amounts of hard CaCO₃.

Subsoil

Strong brown to yellowish brown. At about 50-70 cm, the subsoil colors become dominantly yellowish brown, brown or greyish brown and slightly (to moderately) mottled.
Medium to heavy clay.
Slightly friable to non-friable.
Trace to slight amounts of soft and/or hard CaCO₃.
Isolated pockets of fine crystals of gypsum may occur in the deep subsoils.

Analytical Data for Selected Depths Down the Profile:

Depth	pH	Total Soluble Salts	Sodium Chloride	Moisture Retention @ 15-Bar	Moisture Retention @ 1/3-Bar
-	-8.1	%	%	%	%
A	8.2	0.048	0.009	18.3	27.7
B	9.0	0.127	0.046	26.2	41.9
C	9.1	0.512	0.185	25.9	46.5

Occurrence:

Similar to Murra Warra clay type 1, this soil type is commonly found intermingled with the Kalkee clay soils, on the gently undulating gilgai plains. This Murra Warra clays occur mainly on the gilgai mounds and the intermediate and upper slopes.

Friable phase:

In comparison with the main type (MWc-2), the soil profile of this phase is generally more friable throughout. When dry, the surface soils are soft and when wet they range from friable to very friable. The subsoils are often hard to moderately hard (dry) and friable to very friable (moist).

This phase occupies similar topographical positions as for the main type (above) and its improved consistence is often produced through means of landuse management (e.g. the addition of gypsum).

Murra Warra Series - 3

The soil profile is characterised by having a dominantly red to reddish-brown horizon immediately below the self-mulching surface layer. Color mottling may occur (or increase) with depth. The main subsoil colors however, remain basically unchanged to a depth of atleast 150 cm. This series includes one soil type and one phase:

Murra Warra Clay - Type 3 (MWc-3)

Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

10-15 cm thick.
Dark brown to dark greyish brown.
Medium to heavy clay.
Slightly friable to non-friable.
Occasional to trace amounts of hard CaCO₃.

Subsoil

Red to dark reddish brown. At depth, the subsoil colors become mottled and are dominantly yellowish red to reddish yellow.
Medium to heavy clay.
Moderately friable to non-friable.
Trace to slight amounts of soft and/or hard CaCO₃.
Isolated pockets of fine crystals of gypsum may occur in the deep subsoils.

Analytical Data for Selected Depths Down the Profile:

Depth	pH	Total Soluble Salts	Sodium Chloride	Moisture Retention @ 15-Bar	Moisture Retention @ 1/3-Bar
-	-8.1	%	%	%	%
A	8.6	0.069	0.009	19.5	30.2
B	9.0	0.106	0.026	27.1	43.5
C	9.5	0.296	0.109	27.5	47.5

Occurrence:

Murra Warra clay type 3 is commonly found on crests and upper slopes in the gently undulating plains. It also occurs as mosaics intermixed with Kalkee clay soils and other members of the Murra Warra clays, on areas of the gilgai plains.

Friable phase:

In comparison with the main type (MWc-3), the soil profile of this phase is generally more friable throughout. When dry, the surface soils are soft and when wet they range from friable to very friable. The subsoils are often hard to moderately hard (dry) and friable to very friable (moist).

This phase occupies similar topographical positions as for the main type (above) and its improved consistence is often produced through means of landuse management (e.g. the addition of gypsum).

Murra Warra Series - 4

The soil profile is characterised by having a dominantly red to reddish-brown horizon immediately below the self-mulching surface layer. Color mottling may occur (or increase) with depth. The main subsoil colors however, gradually become greyer and/or yellower before 150 cm. This series includes one soil type and one phase:

Murra Warra Clay - Type 4 (MWc-4)

Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

10-15 cm thick.
Dark brown to dark greyish brown.
Medium to heavy clay.
Slightly friable to non-friable.
Occasional to trace amounts of hard CaCO₃.

Subsoil

Red to dark reddish brown becoming slightly mottled with depth. At about 70-80 cm the main subsoil colors change into light yellowish (or pale) brown to light grey and increase in mottling.
Medium to heavy clay.
Slightly friable to non-friable.
Trace to slight amounts of soft and/or hard CaCO₃.
Fine crystals of gypsum may occur in isolated pockets of the deep subsoils.

Analytical Data for Selected Depths Down the Profile:

Depth	pH	Total Soluble Salts	Sodium Chloride	Moisture Retention @ 15-Bar	Moisture Retention @ 1/3-Bar
-	-8.1	%	%	%	%
A	8.4	0.094	0.031	17.1	28.6
B	9.0	0.186	0.085	25.6	47.8
C	9.3	0.450	0.183	26.8	49.3

Occurrence:

Similar to Murra Warra clay type 3 this soil type occurs on the crests and upper slopes of the gently undulating plains. It also occurs as mosaics intermixed with Kalkee clay soils and other members of the Murra Warra clays, on areas of the gilgai plains.

Friable phase:

In comparison with the main type (MWc-4), the soil profile of this phase is generally more friable throughout. When dry, the surface soils are soft and when wet they range from friable to very friable. The subsoils are often hard to moderately hard (dry) and friable to very friable (moist).

This phase occupies similar topographical positions as for the main type (above) and its improved consistence is often produced through means of landuse management (e.g. the addition of gypsum).

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