QV94006 ~------------;'..... -iMiiiii~i~i!iii~;;--;-;---iiiiiil, iiiiiii! iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ililililili iiiiiiiiii!,~,~,~,~,~,!,!,~,~,~,~,!iliiiii?,i,~,~iiiiiiiiiiiiiii~,=..iiiiil ............. iiiii'!'!iiiii~,~iii,,.......,iiii~iiii.............. iilil .............iiii!'!'!"!'!"! ilii~ iiiiiil iiii~'~iiiiiii LAN I''RI' I II U RC E $ i;iliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~=~iiiiiiiii;!i#ii!i~: iiii;iiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiililiiiiiiil;iii iil;iiii;;ii;i;iil;i;iil;i i;ii!;iiii; ;iiiii;ilil i;ii!ilil; %iiiiil Land resources of the Ravenshoe- Mt Garnet area north Queensland Vol 1 - Land resource inventory I. J. Heiner and M. J. Grundy Land Use and Fisheries BPIO, PA RTME NT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES ['IU 4 4" Ft ~ :1,] 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 1994 For information about this report contact [email protected] Land Resources Bulletin Series QV94006 Land resources of the Ravenshoe- Mt Garnet area north Queensland Vol 1 - Land resource inventory I. J. Heiner and M. J. Grundy Land Use and Fisheries Department of Primary Industries Queensland ISSN 0811-9007 Agdex 524 This publication was prepared for Department of Primary Industries officers. It may be distributed to other individuals and organisations. Commonwealth Government support for this study through the National Soil Conservation Program is gratefully acknowledged. © State of Queensland, Department of Primary Industries, 1994 Department of Primary Industries GPO Box 46 Brisbane Q 4001 Contents gage List of Figures ............................................ v ,.° List of Tables ............................................ vm Abstract ................................................. x 1. Introduction ........................................... 1 2. Survey methods ......................................... 5 3. Climate .............................................. 6 3.1 Rainfall ......................................... 6 3.2 Other climatic factors ................................ 9 4. Geology ............................................. 10 5. Landform and soils ....................................... 13 5.1 Low and high hills .................................. 13 5.2 Plains and rises ................................... 14 6. Water resources ......................................... 16 6.1 Surface water ..................................... 16 6.2 Subsurface water ................................... 17 7. Natural vegetation ....................................... 18 7.1 Introduction ...................................... 18 7.2 Vegetation communities ............................... 18 8. Soils - morphology and classification ............................ 21 8.1 Introduction ...................................... 21 8.2 Soil distribution and morphology ......................... 21 8.3 Soil classification ................................... 23 9. Soils - chemical and physical attributes ........................... 28 9.1 Soil chemical attributes ............................... 28 9.2 Soil physical attributes ................................ 48 iv 10. LAND USE .......................................... 55 10.1 Agricultural land use ................................ 55 10.2 Other land uses ................................... 56 11. Acknowledgements ...................................... 57 12. References ........................................... 58 APPENDIX I ............................................ 61 APPENDIX II ............................................ 63 APPENDIX III ........................................... 74 APPENDIX IV ........................................... 114 List of Figures Figure: 1 Location of the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet study area and the Atherton - Einasleigh overview study .................................. 4 2 Average annual rainfall and elevation above sea level from Innisfail to Mt Garnet ............................................ 6 3 Historic annual rainfall for six centres within the study area ........... 7 4 Mean rainfall per rain day for three centres in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area . 8 5 Monthly rainfall deciles and coefficient of variation for three centres in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area .............................. 8 6 Derived temperature and radiation data for Mt Garnet ................. 9 7 The distribution of landform in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area ........... 13 8 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected soils from the massive and weakly to moderately pedal red soils (Group 1) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area .... 36 9 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected soils from the massive and weakly to moderately pedal yellow and grey soils (Group 2) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area ......................................... 36 10 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected soils from the deep pedal soils on acid volcanic rocks (Group 3) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area .......... 37 11 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected soils from the non-cracking clay soils on basalt (Group 4) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area ................ 37 12 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected cracking clay soils (Group 5) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area ................................. 37 13 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected sodic and magnesic soils (Group 6) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area .............................. 37 14 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected soils on alluvia (Group 7) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area ......................................... 38 15 Sulphate sulphur levels in selected soils with minimal profile development (Group 8) in the Ravenshoe - Mt Garnet area ...................... 38 16 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the massive and weakly to moderately pedal red soils (Group 1) ................................... 41 17 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations in the massive and weakly to moderately pedal red soils (Group 1) ........................... 41 18 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the massive and weakly to moderately pedal yellow and grey soil (Group 2) ........................... 42 vi 19 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations in the massive and weakly to moderately pedal yellow and grey soils (Group 2) ................... 42 20 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the deep pedal soils on acid volcanic rocks (Group 3) ........................................ 42 21 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations in the deep pedal soils on acid volcanic rocks (Group 3) ................................ 42 22 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the non-cracking clay soils on basalt (Group 4) ............................................ 43 23 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations - non-cracking clay soils on basalt (Group 4) ...................................... 43 24 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the cracking clay soils (Group 5) ...... 44 25 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations in the cracking clay soils (Group 5) ............................................ 44 26 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the sodic and magnesic soils (Group 6) . 44 27 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations in the sodic and magnesic soils (Group 6) ......................................... 44 28 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the soils on alluvia (Group 7) ........ 45 29 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations in the soils on alluvia (Group 7) . 45 30 Cation Exchange Capacity profiles of the soils with minimal profile development (Group 8) .................................... 45 31 Proportion of CEC occupied by basic cations in the soils with minimal profile development (Group 8) .......................... 45 32 pH and electrical conductivity in the massive and weakly to moderately pedal red soils (Group 1) ................................... 46 33 pH and electrical conductivity in the massive and weakly to moderately pedal yellow and grey soils (Group 2) ........................... 46 34 pH and electrical conductivity levels in the deep pedal soils on acid volcanic rocks (Group 3) ................................... 46 35 pH and electrical conductivity levels in the non-cracking clay soils on basalt (Group 4) ........................................ 46 36 pH and electrical conductivity levels in the cracking clay soils (Group 5) ..... 47 37 pH and electrical conductivity levels in the sodic and magnesic soils (Group 6) . 47 38 pH and electrical conductivity levels in the soils on alluvia (Group 7) ....... 47 39 pH and electrical conductivity levels in the soils with minimal profile development (Group 8) .................................... 47 40 Particle size analysis of the massive and weakly to moderately pedal red soils (Group 1) ............................................ 48 vii 41 Particle size