Mount Bellarine Volcanic soils

This information sheet covers the indigenous plants found throughout the Mount Bellarine and Scotchmans Hill areas.

Zone 2 is made up of older volcanic clay loams on gentle slopes, which are poorly drained. The average rainfall is 62 centimetres.

This area was once predominantly all open grassy woodland with an understorey made up of various shrubs and grasses. Tree species including the Drooping Sheoke grew with other species such as Blackwood and Cherry Ballart.

Shrub species including Kangaroo Apple, Silver Banksia and Sweet Bursaria occasionally occurred. Kangaroo Grass dominated the ground flora.

In riparian and damper areas, Hop Goodenia, Shrub Everlasting and Tussock Grass grew. Creeklines were characterised by stands of River Red Gum and Blackwood. Grasslands were present in patches across most of the inland area.

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 -
Silver Banksia Banksia marginata 1-10 1-5 Y -
River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis 12-35 15-35 - Y
Cherry Ballart Exocarpos cupressiformis 3-8 3-5 Y -
Shrub Species
Gold-dust Wattle Acacia acinacea 0.5-2.5 2-4 Y -
Hedge Wattle Acacia paradoxa 2-4 2-5 Y -
Sweet Bursaria Bursaria spinosa var macrophylla 2-6 2-3 Y -
Hop Goodenia Goodenia ovata 1-2.5 1-3 - Y
Sticky Boobialla Myoporum viscosum 0.5-2 1.5-2 X -
Shrub Everlasting Ozothamnus ferrugineus 2-6 1-3 Y Y
Sea Berry Saltbush Rhagodia candolleana 2 1-2.5 Y -
Kangaroo Apple Solanum laciniatum 1-3 1-3 Y -
Groundcover and Tussock Species
Berry Saltbush Atriplex semibaccata 0.1-0.3 1-3 Y -
Black Anther Flax-lily Dianella revoluta 0.5 1.5-2.0 Y -
Tussock Grass Poa labillardieri 0.8 0.8 - Y
Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra 0.3 0.3 Y -
Y - species is present in areas of remnant vegetation
X - species once occurred in this area

1=Hills; 2=Riparian


Local Indigenous Nurseries

  • West Coast Indigenous Nursery

Further Contacts


Acknowledgements: David Perry DSE and Mark Trengove

This information sheet is also available in PDF format.





Page last updated: Wednesday, 16 August 2023

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