Zone 13 Consists of mostly Ordovician geology with poor fertility soils including shale slate siltstone and sandstone. The gently sloping to steep hills includes gullies and escarpments and is prone to erosion. The average rainfall is 60 - 65 centimetres.
The nearby Brisbane Ranges National Park is a good indication of the area’s indigenous species. The woodlands of Red Stringybark Messmate Stringybark Broadleaf Peppermint and Red Ironbark are examples of the main tree species that once grew in much of this area. Woodlands of Manna Gum and Swamp Gum were also common. The open woodland in the area now have a relatively open understorey due to the grazing by stock over many years.
Groundcover species such as Tussock Grass Kangaroo Grass and Common Everlasting as well as smaller shrubs such as Dusty Miller Large-leaf Bush-pea and Prickly Geebung are examples of plants that made up the understorey.
For a more comprehensive list of indigenous plants in the Meredith-Steiglitz area refer to the Brisbane Ranges National Park Plant List available from Parks Victoria.
| Tree species | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common name | Botanical name | Size (height by width in metres) | 1 | 2 | ||
| Lightwood | Acacia implexa | 5-15 | 4-7 | Y | YU | |
| Black Wattle | Acacia mearnsii | 8-25 | 6-10 | YU | Y | |
| Blackwood | Acacia melanoxylon | 5-30 | 4-15 | Y | Y | |
| Golden Wattle | Acacia pycnantha | 3-10 | 2-5 | Y | YU | |
| Black Sheoke | Allocasuarina littoralis | 4-8 | 2-5 | Y | Y | |
| Drooping Sheoke | Allocasuarina verticillata | 4-11 | 3-6 | Y | - | |
| Scent-bark | Eucalyptus aromaphloia | 12-20 | 7-15 | Y | - | |
| River Red Gum | Eucalyptus camaldulensis | 15-35 | 15-35 | - | Y | |
| Broad-leaf Peppermint | Eucalyptus dives | 8-25 | 6-15 | Y | - | |
| Long-leaf Box | Eucalyptus goniocalyx | 8-20 | 6-15 | Y | - | |
| Yellow Gum | Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp connata | 10-20 | 6-20 | - | Y | |
| Red Stringybark | Eucalyptus macrorhyncha | 10-35 | 10-20 | Y | - | |
| Grey Box | Eucalyptus microcarpa | 10-25 | 10-15 | - | YL | |
| Messmate | Eucalyptus obliqua | 4-70 | 6-35 | Y | - | |
| Swamp Gum | Eucalyptus ovata | 8-30 | 8-20 | - | Y | |
| Snow Gum | Eucalyptus pauciflora | 8-12 | 6-10 | YU | - | |
| Red Box | Eucalyptus polyanthemos | 7-25 | 5-15 | Y | - | |
| Narrow-leaf Peppermint | Eucalyptus radiata | 10-30 | 6-30 | Y | - | |
| Candlebark | Eucalyptus rubida | 10-25 | 10-20 | Y | - | |
| Red Ironbark | Eucalyptus tricarpa | 10-30 | 10-20 | Y | - | |
| Manna Gum | Eucalyptus viminalis | 10-20 | 8-15 | - | Y | |
| Cherry Ballart | Exocarpos cupressiformis | 3-8 | 3-5 | Y | - | |
| Moonah | Melaleuca lanceolata | 1-8 | 3-6 | Y | - | |
| Shrub Species | ||||||
| Silver Wattle | Acacia dealbata | 6-15 | 5-10 | - | Y | |
| Hedge Wattle | Acacia paradoxa | 2-4 | 2-5 | Y | - | |
| Varnish Wattle | Acacia verniciflua | 3-5 | 3-5 | YU | - | |
| Silver Banksia | Banksia marginata | 1-10 | 1-5 | Y | Y | |
| Sweet Bursaria | Bursaria spinosa var macrophylla | 2-6 | 2-3 | Y | Y | |
| River Bottlebrush | Callistemon sieberi | 3-10 | 2-6 | - | Y | |
| Dogwood | Cassinia aculeata | 2-4 | 1-2 | Y | - | |
| Common Correa | Correa reflexa | 0.3-2 | 1-2 | Y | - | |
| Narrow-leaf Bitter-pea | Daviesia leptophylla | 1-2 | 1-2 | Y | - | |
| Gorse Bitter-pea | Daviesia ulicifolia | 1.5 | 1-2 | Y | - | |
| Hop Goodenia | Goodenia ovata | 1-2.5 | 1-3 | - | Y | |
| Golden Grevillea | Grevillea chrysophaea | 1 | 1-2 | YU | - | |
| Rosemary Grevillea | Grevillea rosmarinifolia | 1-3 | 2-3 | Y | Y | |
| Steiglitz Grevillea | Grevillea steiglitziana | 1.5 | 2 | X | - | |
| Bushy Needlewood | Hakea sericea | 2-5 | 1-3 | Y | - | |
| Shrub Violet | Hymenanthera dentata | 2-4 | 1-2.5 | - | Y | |
| Woolly Tea-tree | Leptospermum lanigerum | 2-6 | 1-3 | - | Y | |
| Heath Tea-tree | Leptospermum myrsinoides | 0.5-2.5 | 1 | Y | - | |
| River Tea-tree | Leptospermum obovatum | 2-4 | 1.5-2 | - | Y | |
| Sticky Boobialla | Myoporum viscosum | 0.5-2 | 1.5-2 | - | Y | |
| Prickly Geebung | Persoonia juniperina | 0.3-2 | 0.6-0.8 | Y | - | |
| Hazel Pomaderris | Pomaderris aspera | 3-12 | 2-4 | - | YR | |
| Snowy Mint-bush | Prostanthera nivea | 3 | 2.5 | YU | YU | |
| Large-leaf Bush-pea | Pultenaea daphnoides | 1-3 | 0.5-2 | Y | - | |
| Dusty Miller | Spyridium parvifolium | 1-3 | 1-2 | Y | - | |
| Groundcover and Tussock Species | ||||||
| Common Everlasting | Chrysocephalum apiculatum | 0.3 | 1-2 | Y | - | |
| Tussock Grass | Poa labillardieri | 0.8 | 0.8 | - | Y | |
| Kangaroo Grass | Themeda triandra | 0.3 | 0.3 | Y | - | |
| L - lower slope | ||||||
| R - riparian | ||||||
| U - uncommon | ||||||
| X - species once occurred in this area | ||||||
| Y - species is present in areas of remnant vegetation | ||||||
1=Ridges / midslope; 2=Lower slope / riparian
Local Indigenous Nurseries
- Treehome Nursery: 03 5281 2971
- Meredith Nursery: 03 5286 1397
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
- Geelong Landcare Network
- Corangamite Catchment Management Authority: 03 5232 9100
Acknowledgements: David Perry DSE and Mark Trengove
This information sheet is also available in PDF format.