COMMON COMMON GROUND GROUND COMMON COMMON GROUND GROUND

COMMON COMMON

:03 GROUND GROUND

| | Soils of the SouthCOMMON COMMON| | COMMON RegionGROUND GROUND GROUND Fact Sheet series for the Small Rural Landholder SHARE : LEARN : ACTION COMMON COMMON Soils are derived from rocks including hundreds of kilometres of What soil do I have on spectacular coastline, picturesque rivers, my property? GROUNSilurian sandstones andD mudstones. (400- GROUNDand forests. Managing soil is a 430 million years) are the oldest rocks in the region, outcropping The diversity in its geographical landscape complex issue. in the area. Outcrops of is a result of its geological history where significant faulting and uplift of sediments There are many questions Devonian granite (400 million years) can COMMONbe seen towards . occurred. Striking granite peaks at Wilsons landholders can ask to help Tertiary basalts (10-40 million years) occur COMMONPromontory with its array of local flora determine key properties. For widely around , Mirboo North and contrasts with the lush rolling hills example: . supporting dairying, vineyards and other GROUND agriculturalGROUND activities. Do I have a sandy soil with good Cretaceous sediments deposited drainage but poor fertility, or do (~135million years ago) occupy the Land classing I have a red to brown volcanic majority of the South Gippsland region. Land classing ranks land on its loam soil that appears to be more In the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous suitability for agricultural and fertile? Perhaps I have a gravelly periods (96 –160 million years ago), horticultural production and identifies granitic clay soil. sediments were deposited into a basin, land more suited to non-agricultural along with swamp material. Once activities. This evaluation includes This fact sheet explores the compacted, these formed coal seams in the assessment of the biophysical, major soil types across the South and areas. economic and social factors that Gippsland region and discusses potentially could constrain the use of A tectonic belt that stretches across their properties in terms of what the land for particular horticulture and southern is responsible in South agriculture enterprises. enterprises they might best Gippsland for numerous episodes of support. faulting, resulting in the block mountains Knowledge of the landscape described you see today. above will dictate the relative suitability All rural landowners should be of land for these activities and will help aware of their soil types and how Rocks weather to soils with the development of plans for best to manage them. Given that sustainable production. the earth’s topsoil ranges from Through the process of weathering - Agricultural production across the 1cm or less to 40cm, landowners chemical, physical and biological elements combine to render ancient rocks into finer South Gippsland region is largely have a responsibility to ensure particles. Combined with organic materials, determined by the soils and their that this precious resource is over time, form the basis of the soils and inherent fertility. protected and well managed. the soil profiles that we see today.

The Landscape

South Gippsland covers an area of approximately 3,305 square kilometres Typical Strzelecki (Sz) soil core COMMON COMMON GROUND GROUND COMMON COMMON GROUND GROUND

COMMON COMMON

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| | COMMON COMMON| | COMMON –––––––––– Soils of the South GippslandGROUND Region GROUND GROUND SHARE : LEARN : ACTION Soils ofCOMMON South Gippsland COMMON

There are a number of soil mapping units that comprise the major soil types seen across | the region and it is the characteristics of these units that identify them with specific | | productionGROUN systems. D. GROUND Five of these major soil types have been selected to illustrate the type of agricultural production they support. :03 Athlone (Al) (Ny) Ripplebrook (Rb) The soilsCOMMON occur on the Most of these soils have COMMONThese soils have developed Practical resources undulating areas around grey or dark grey loamy on the valley floors in Drouin, Athlone, Nyora and sand surfaces with low the eastern part of the The Department of the Environment Poowong.GROUNDto moderate amounts of GROUNDcatchment. They have a and Primary Industries (DEPI) organic matter. blocky structure. Once They generally range from Victorian Resources Gateway can forested, they are now dark greyish brown fine A significant bleached zone provide detailed information on the cleared and sown to sandy loams to finer silty occurs at about 30 cm with improved pastures. geology and geomorphology of the loams and are elementally a coffee rock layer from South Gippsland region. This resource poor in phosphorus, The surface soils are 90cm.These soils have generally grey in colour and informs readers on how the area was potassium and molybdenum, low fertility and require formed, and as a consequence, what but they respond well to a silty to sandy clay loam in phosphorus and potash as texture. At 60cm the clay soils are now seen. fertiliser inputs. They are well as trace elements to loam changes to a light to strongly acidic with a pH establish pastures.They are (5.1). They are poorly medium clay with some The DEPI Victorian Resources Online strongly acid with a pH of light brownish grey and Gateway also provides a Land Classing drained so pugging can be (4.7). Recently vegetable an issue. yellow mottling. Soil pH kit which explains how to identify and production has been is around (5.0). Soil profiles classify landscapes which can assist These areas are extensively introduced on some of in these areas are prone landowners with their whole farm sown to improved pasture these soils. to prolonged periods planning to ensure appropriate and grazed by cattle. of saturation. sustainable land use for their property.

A comprehensive soil survey titled, “Soil Survey Strzelecki: (Sz) Warragul (Wg) Catchment by I.J Sargeant, Report These soils occur widely All of the soils overlie No. 52, 1975 can be found at : across the South Gippsland early tertiary basalts. Most http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au region in a belt from Fish of the surface soils are Creek to Mirboo North. dark brownish grey clay Regional Guide to Victorian Geology loams or very fine sandy The surface soils are dark http://vic.gsa.org.au/Victorian_Geology/Gu clay loams. They cover grey to brown clay loams ides/Regionalsmall.pdf extensive areas around with moderate organic Leongatha and Mirboo matter levels which grade North. into yellowish grey brown clay loams or light clays at They are sown to about 35cm. The Cretaceous improved pastures for geology influences the dairy and beef production texture of the soil being or used for more intensive either sandy or clay horticulture such rich loams. They have a as vegetable crops and This project is supported by South Gippsland moderate pH (5.9). cut flowers. They have a Landcare Network through funding from the moderate pH (6.1). Australian Government’s National Landcare The soils are reasonably Programme. fertile where the major land use is beef and dairy For general information contact: cattle grazing. The soils South Gippsland Landcare Network are low in phosphorus, [email protected] sulphur, molybdenum and To see more visit: http://vro.agriculture. www.sgln.org.au copper but respond well to vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/wgregn.nsf/pages/ fertilisers. wg_soil_detailed

Disclaimer: South Gippsland Landcare Network (SGLN) All effort has been made to give true representation, provide accurate information and apply comprehensive knowledge to this document. However, SGLN does not guarantee the accuracy nor the conclusions drawn from this information and therefore should not be relied upon solely for decision making purposes.