Queensland Government Technical Report This report is a scanned copy and some detail may be illegible or lost. Before acting on any information, readers are strongly advised to ensure that numerals, percentages and details are correct. This report is intended to provide information only on the subject under review. There are limitations inherent in land resource studies, such as accuracy in relation to map scale and assumptions regarding socio-economic factors for land evaluation. Before acting on the information conveyed in this report, readers should ensure that they have received adequate professional information and advice specific to their enquiry. While all care has been taken in the preparation of this report neither the Queensland Government nor its officers or staff accepts any responsibility for any loss or damage that may result from any inaccuracy or omission in the information contained herein. © State of Queensland 1993 For information about this report contact [email protected] 2, 3 4 5 The cover photographs illustrate the following scenes: 1. Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre, Longreach. 2. Torrens Creek crossing; River red gum 3. Warnabool Downs (F6); Gidgee in background 4. Artesian bore,Western Queensland. 5. Astrebla grassland, Hughenden - Winton road Agdex 524 WESTERN ARID REGION LAND USE STUDY PART V E.J. Turner W.J.F. McDonald C.R. Ahern M.B. Thomas TECHNICAL BULLETIN NO. 30 PREPARED BY THE DIVISION OF LAND UTILISATION FOREWORD The Land Use and Fisheries Group has been engaged in the conduct of land use studies in the pastoral lands of western Queensland since 1970. The western grazing lands, which are utilised for sheep husbandry and beef cattle production, cover some 60 million hectares of land in an arid and semi-arid environment. These lands support 60% of sheep numbers and 15% of the cattle numbers in the State and as such represent a valuable resource. To provide for the continuing sustainability of these industries and the fragile natural resources on which they depend, it is essential that we have a thorough understanding of the natural resources. This report is the final of a companion series of five which have been progressively published since 1974. The report describes the physical environment and catalogues the land resource data for about 9 million hectares of land centred on Longreach. The information reported in this study is relevant to the 1990s and outlines the land use problems that pastoralists face as they approach the twenty-first century. The report will provide a sound basis for property planning and management and for catchment, regional and strategic planning in the Warlus V area. It outlines the pathways for long-term, safe management of these fragile grazing lands, and indicates the safe stocking parameters for the principal Land Systems in the Warlus V area. The publication will be a valuable reference for graziers, grazier organisations, local authorities and Government departments who have a commitment to maintain the western pastoral lands in a highly productive state for the long term. Dr G.J. Bacon GENERAL MANAGER LAND MANAGEMENT DIVISION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors recognise that, with the passage of time since the survey was conducted, some of the text has become out of date. However, with the movement to new Departments of two of the senior authors in the interim, after preparation of the manuscript, publication would have been deferred further to allow thorough updating. A supplementary list of papers published since 1980 has been included for reader convenience (Appendix VI), courtesy of Longreach regional office of the Department of Primary Industries. The authors are grateful to: Mr N.M. Dawson for supervision throughout the survey. Mr P. R. Wilson and Mr G.R. Beeston for assistance especially during the field phase of the project. The Drafting Section of the Land Management Division, for the preparation of maps and diagrams, and C. Eldershaw for preparation of soil graphs and index to the microfiche. Mrs C.R. Smith and Miss K. Adams for dedication and enthusiasm in word processing skills. The Agricultural Chemistry Branch staff, for their assistance with the analysis of soil samples. Mr K. Rosenthal, for presentation of morphological data in the Microfiche, and computer programming. Mr K. Hughes, for his assistance with geology and geomorphology, and the field work. A special thanks to Mrs V.J. Eldershaw, for compilation and final editing; a task made difficult by the long period since commencement of the report and the transfer of two of the senior authors to other government departments. CONTENTS Page FOREWORD (ii) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (iii) LIST OF FIGURES (vi) LIST OF TABLES (vii) LOCALITY MAP AND KEY TO ADJOINING AREAS (viii) SUMMARY (ix) CHAPTER 1 EARLY SETTLEMENT AND LAND TENURE 1 E.J.Turner and G. Caltabiano CHAPTER 2 RESOURCES OF THE SURVEY AREA 3 E.J. Turner CHAPTER 3 SOILS 17 C.R. Ahern and E.J. Turner CHAPTER 4 VEGETATION 49 W.J.F. McDonald and M.B. Thomas CHAPTER 5 CURRENT LAND USE 77 E.J. Turner CHAPTER 6 RESOURCE USE 82 E.J. Turner APPENDICES I List of abbreviations, symbols, ratings and terms 99 II Soil analytical methods (C.R. Ahem) 105 III Vegetation (W.J.F. McDonald and M.B. Thomas) (A) Total list of species occurring in each land zone 108 (B) List of common names - botanical names for the more common species 127 (C) List of species with recent name changes 136 IV Land systems (E.J. Turner and W.J.F. McDonald) 139 V Land units (E.J Turner, W.J.F. McDonald, M.B. Thomas and C.R. Ahern). 159 VI Supplementary list of recent references 193 MICROFICHE Index to microfiche 2. ("Chem Tables") 205 1. Morphological and analytical data for representative soil profiles ["Site Tables" : 2 cards] (E.J.Turner and C.R. Ahern) 2. Soil analysis tables: Frequency distribution by soil groups Analysis summary by soil groups ["Chem Tables": 1 card] (C.R. Ahern) ERRATA On the Land Systems Map accompanying this report, the area of land associated with the Alluvial Plains, Woodland land system designated as Aberfoyle (W,) is incorrectly shown as 7770 km 2. It should be 1170 km 2. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page PREFACE Study area in relation to other WARLUS areas viii Figure 2.1 Annual rainfall 3 Figure 2.2 Five year averages of summer and winter rainfall 5 Figure 2.3 Idealised relationships between land systems, soils, vegetation and geology 10 Figure 3.1 Location of sampling sites 18 Figure 3.2 Changes in mean particle size with depth for Ascot SPC (A1) 26 Figure 3.3 Changes in mean cations and CEC with depth for Ascot SPC (A1) 26 Figure 3.4 Changes in mean particle size with depth for Tiree SPC (A2) 28 Figure 3.5 Changes in mean cations and CEC with depth for Tiree SPC (A2) 28 Figure 3.6 Changes in mean particle size with depth for brown clays on plains (B) 31 Figure 3.7 Changes in mean cations and CEC with depth for brown clays on plains (B) 31 Figure 3.8 Changes in mean particle size with depth for grey and brown clays on alluvia (C) 34 Figure 3.9 Changes in mean cations and CEC with depth for grey and brown clays on alluvia (C) 34 Figure 3.10 Changes in mean particle size with depth for texture contrast soils on plains (F) 38 Figure 3.11 Changes in mean cations and CEC with depth for texture contrast soils on plains (F) 38 Figure 3.12 Change in mean particle size with depth for loamy red earths (H) 41 Figure 3.13 Changes in mean particle size with depth for sandy red earths (I) 44 Figure 3.14 Changes in mean cations and CEC with depth for sandy red earths (I) 44 VII LIST OF TABLES Page Table 2.1 Mean rainfall (mm) 4 Table 2.2 Average rainfall distribution (mm) 4 Table 2.3 Other climate characteristics 5 Table 2.4 Stratigraphy of the area 7 Table 2.5 Area of land zones 9 Table 3.1 Characteristics of soil profile classes 19 Table 4.1 Structural formations represented in the region 50 Table 4.2 Families represented by ten or more species 51 Table 4.3 Number of families, genera and species for the various land zones 52 Table 5.1 Population trends in local authority areas 77 Table 5.2 Types of tenure, enterprise and estimated carrying capacity 78 Table 5.3 Property size range and estimated carrying capacity (sheep) 79 Table 5.4 Property size range and estimated carrying capacity (cattle) 79 Table 5.5 Distribution of estimated carrying capacity and number of properties 81 Table 6.1 Topfeed species 86 Table 6.2 Woody weed species 90 Table 6.3 Poisonous plant species 91 ,~ Thursd,~ I++ LOCALITY MAP AND ,.,~.- o, . ~- KEY TO ADJOINING SURVEY AREAS 4RPI- ~7 +lq,l,~ eLaura ~ : " I I t" I ~ SC~E OF KILOMETRES eCoo~town 1~ 0 I~ 2~ ~ 4~ ~0 ~ ~o,,,,nqton t, ) X~ LIRAS "i~~.~, ": .~ ~ .... b.o OChdlago~ ::::~:: ::i: ::-°: ::C H?H-" - " ............ ::ii ;;-:: ::.: :::: :--:: ::. -: ~. +: ~ ~. ~ ~ii ~ ~: ~: ~ ii~i#~: "J . ,,.,o+, • ~ I""~"L ,~ov.. ii~::::ii :;~: i~ ~i i~~i !:i :: ,, ii:i::}ii:: ii: :: ii: :ii ::/ii:: +,+,,,,,,, i~ L . ." .. ii;; C 22" 112 o,..i,:I,--i.. .-~- !!: :-~: '........ ::: ??iiii iii 2!i i iii :ii:,iiiii!;!ii!) : i /" ,~ c1~7c E_~i ::::< !!:.:::.: ::.: ~ ~ !!~.."i'ii::::i..i:..:i:iiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiii!:iii:! iii ii:: ,.. 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