Zone 6 consists of moderately fertile alluvial loam soils with some sands gravels and clays. It is mostly flat with poor to moderate drainage. The average rainfall is 55 - 60 centimetres.
This area was characterised by a grassy woodland community dominated by either River Red Gum or Yellow Gum. In wetter areas River Red Gum was dominant while the Drooping Sheoke preferred drier sites.
Common understorey species included Wattle species Sweet Bursaria Shrub Violet and scattered populations of Silver Banksia and Giant Hop-bush.
Kangaroo Grass would have been common through much of the drier areas. Tussock Grass was present in low lying wetter areas and along watercourses. Species only found in the Waurn Ponds area include Hop Wattle Prickley Moses and Prickly Tea-tree.
| Tree species | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common name | Botanical name | Size (height by width in metres) | 1 | 2 | |
| Lightwood | Acacia implexa | 5-15 | 4-7 | Y | - |
| Black Wattle | Acacia mearnsii | 8-25 | 6-10 | Y | - |
| Blackwood | Acacia melanoxylon | 5-30 | 4-15 | Y | Y |
| Golden Wattle | Acacia pycnantha | 3-10 | 2-5 | Y | - |
| Drooping Sheoke | Allocasuarina verticillata | 4-11 | 3-6 | Y | - |
| River Red Gum | Eucalyptus camaldulensis | 12-35 | 15-35 | - | Y |
| Yellow Gum | Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp connata | 10-20 | 6-20 | Y | - |
| Swamp Gum | Eucalyptus ovata | 8-20 | 8-20 | - | Y |
| Manna Gum | Eucalyptus viminalis | 10-20 | 8-15 | - | YO |
| Cherry Ballart | Exocarpos cupressiformis | 3-8 | 3-5 | Y | - |
| Moonah | Melaluca lanceolata | 1-8 | 3-6 | X | X |
| Shrub species | |||||
| Silver Wattle | Acacia dealbata | 6-15 | 5-10 | - | Y |
| Hedge Wattle | Acacia paradoxa | 2-4 | 2-5 | Y | - |
| Hop Wattle | Acacia stricta | 2-5 | 2-4 | - | YC |
| Prickly Moses | Acacia verticillata | 2-6 | 3-5 | - | YF |
| Silver Banksia | Banksia marginata | 1-10 | 1-5 | Y | - |
| Sweet Bursaria | Bursaria spinosa var macrophylla | 2-6 | 2-3 | Y | Y |
| Dogwood | Cassinia aculeata | 2-4 | 1-2 | Y | - |
| Common Correa | Correa reflexa | 0.3-2 | 1-2 | - | Y |
| Grey Parrot-pea | Dillwynia cinerascens | 0.6-1 | 0.5-1.5 | Y | - |
| Giant Hop-bush | Dodonaea viscosa | 1-3 | 1-3 | Y | - |
| Hop Goodenia | Goodenia ovata | 1-2.5 | 1-3 | - | Y |
| Hemp-Bush | Gynatrix pulchella | 2-4 | 1.5-3 | - | Y |
| Shrub Violet | Hymenanthera dentata | 2-4 | 1-2.5 | Y | Y |
| Prickly Tea-tree | Leptospermum continentale | 1-4 | 1-2 | - | YF |
| Woolly Tea-tree | Leptospermum lanigerum | 2-6 | 1-3 | - | Y |
| River Tea-tree | Leptospermum obovatum | 2-4 | 1.5-2 | - | Y |
| Common Boobialla | Myoporum insulare | 1-6 | 3 | Y | - |
| Sticky Boobialla | Myoporum viscosum | 0.5-2 | 1.5-2 | Y | - |
| Snowy Daisy-bush | Olearia lirata | 2-5 | 2-3 | Y | - |
| Twiggy Daisy-bush | Olearia ramulosa | 0.5-2.5 | 1 | Y | - |
| Shrub Everlasting | Ozothamnus ferrugineus | 2-6 | 1-3 | - | Y |
| Kangaroo Island Pomaderris | Pomaderris halmaturina ssp. continentis | 1-3 | 1-2 | YU | - |
| Kangaroo Apple | Solanum laciniatum | 1-3 | 1-3 | Y | - |
| Groundcover and tussock species | |||||
| Common everlasting | Chrysocephalum apiculatum | 0.3 | 1-2 | Y | - |
| Black Anther Flax-lily | Dianella revoluta | 0.3 | 1.5-2.0 | Y | - |
| Tussock Grass | Poa labillardieri | 0.8 | 0.8 | - | Y |
| Kangaroo Grass | Themeda triandra | 0.3 | 0.3 | Y | - |
| C - Waurn Ponds Creek | |||||
| F - Waurn Ponds Flats | |||||
| O - on sandy alluvial deposits only | |||||
| U - uncommon | |||||
| X - species once occurred in this area | |||||
| Y - species is present in areas of remnant vegetation | |||||
1=Slopes/Well drained areas; 2=Watercourses/Wet areas
Further Contacts
- City of Greater Geelong Environment Unit: 03 5272 5272
- Department of Environment Land Water and Planning: 136 186
- Geelong Field Naturalists Club Inc
Acknowledgements: David Perry DSE and Mark Trengove
This information sheet is also available in PDF format.