School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Theses

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Author: Sibley, G. T × End date: 1969 × Start date: 1967 × Type: Masters Research thesis × Subject: Victoria ×

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    A study of the land in the Grampians area
    Sibley, G. T ( 1967)
    The land covered by this survey is considered in two ways. First, for the area as a whole, an account is given of the major features of the environment significant for land-use, namely climate, parent material, topography, soils and native vegetation, together with the chief kinds of land-use and the forms of land deterioration. Second, an integrated assessment of the environmental features allows the recognition of land-systems and land-units, which are areas of land each with its characteristic pattern of features. The area of the survey lies in central-western Victoria where the winters are cool and wet and the summers are hot and comparatively dry. The average annual rainfall varies from 17+ inches on the northern plains to 35 inches in the central mountainous zone. There are flat depositional plains of unconsolidated sediments, undulating plains and hills formed on igneous and sedimentary rocks, dissected tablelands, and rugged sandstone mountains. The soil groups are considered in three broad categories, namely, deep infertile sands, heavy clays, and soils in which sandy loams overlie a clay subsoil. The most important forms of land-use are sheep grazing for fine wool on the plains, and the maintenance of water supply catchments in the mountains. Nineteen land-systems comprising forty-nine land-units have been mapped and described. Soil erosion and salting are not common on most of the land. Where they do occur, overall treatment, including catchment improvement, is required to overcome these problems. Productivity of much of the land already developed could, with safety, be increased to that of the best properties. Most areas of undeveloped Crown lands have a low potential for economic pastoral production or softwood plantations. However, the cover of native vegetation on these areas performs a valuable function as catchment protection.