This information sheet details the indigenous plants of the Barrabool Hills.
Zone 9 consists of moderately fertile sandy loam soils on tertiary alluvial (sandstone) deposits. The gently sloping hills, some escarpments and gullies are mostly well drained. The average rainfall is 55 - 60 centimetres.
This area was characterised by a Drooping Sheoke woodland with a grassy and/or a heathy understorey largely made up of Wattle species, Silver Banksia and Sweet Bursaria.
Along the ridges and slopes Drooping Sheoke, Moonah, Cherry Ballart and Lightwood dominated the landscape while along the drainage lines Blackwood, River Red Gum, Swamp Gum and Manna Gum grew.
Along the drier sandy gully sides, species such as Manna Gum, Shrub Violet and Sweet Bursaria were found.
Unfortunately many of this area’s tree species have been cleared. White Cypress-pine, Yellow Gum and Swamp Gum can no longer be found.
Shrub species restricted to the drier areas included Kangaroo Apple, Silver Banksia, Sweet Bursaria and Giant Hop-bush. Along the lower slopes and drainage lines Silver Wattle, Hemp-bush, Prickly Tea-tree and Tangled Lignum grew.
Throughout the hills, Kangaroo Grass was present over the upper and mid slope areas. Tussock Grass would have dominated lower, wetter and south-facing slopes.
Tree Species |
Common name |
Botanical name |
Size
(H x W m)
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Lightwood |
Acacia implexa |
5-15 |
4-7 |
Y |
Y |
- |
Y |
Blackwood |
Acacia melanoxylon |
5-30
|
4-15
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Black Wattle |
Acacia mearnsii |
8-25 |
6-10 |
- |
Y |
Y |
- |
Golden Wattle |
Acacia pycnantha |
3-10 |
2-5 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
Drooping Sheoke |
Allocasuarina verticillata |
4-11 |
3-6 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
White Cypress-pine |
Callitris glaucophylla |
3-5 |
2-4 |
X |
- |
- |
- |
River Red Gum |
Eucalyptus camaldulensis |
12-35 |
15-35 |
- |
- |
- |
Y |
Yellow Gum |
Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp connata |
10-20 |
6-20 |
X |
X |
X |
- |
Swamp Gum |
Eucalyptus ovata |
8-30 |
8-20 |
X |
X |
X |
- |
Manna Gum |
Eucalyptus viminalis |
10-20 |
8-15 |
YS |
- |
Y |
Y |
Cherry Ballart |
Exocarpos cupressiformis |
3-8 |
3-5 |
- |
Y |
Y |
- |
Moonah |
Melaleuca lanceolata |
1-8 |
3-6 |
YE
|
- |
- |
- |
Shrub Species |
Silver Wattle |
Acacia dealbata |
6-15 |
5-10 |
- |
- |
- |
Y |
Hedge Wattle |
Acacia paradoxa |
2-4 |
2-5 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
Silver Banksia |
Banksia marginata |
1-10 |
1-5 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
Sweet Bursaria |
Bursaria spinosa var macrophylla |
2-6 |
2-3 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
- |
Grey Parrot-pea |
Dillwynia cinerascens |
0.6-1.5 |
0.5-1.5 |
- |
Y |
- |
- |
Giant Hop-bush |
Dodonaea viscosa |
1-3 |
1-3 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
Hemp-Bush |
Gynatrix pulchella |
2-4 |
1.5-3 |
- |
- |
- |
Y |
Shrub Violet |
Hymenanthera dentata |
1-3 |
1-3 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
- |
Prickly Tea-tree |
Leptospermum |
1-4 |
1-2 |
- |
- |
Y |
Y |
Tangled Lignum |
Muehlenbeckia florulenta |
1-2.5 |
1-2 |
- |
- |
- |
Y |
Sticky Boobialla |
Myoporum viscosum |
0.5-2 |
1.5-2 |
- |
Y |
- |
- |
Kangaroo Apple |
Solanum laciniatum |
1-3 |
1-3 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
Common Boobialla |
Myoporum insulare (plains form) |
0.5-2 |
1.5-2 |
- |
Y |
- |
- |
Groundcover and Tussock Species |
Black Anther Flax-lily |
Dianella revoluta |
0.3 |
1.5-2.0 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
Tussock Grass |
Poa labillardieri |
0.8 |
0.8 |
- |
- |
Y |
Y |
Kangaroo Grass |
Themeda triandra |
0.3 |
0.3 |
Y |
Y |
- |
- |
E - escarpments |
Y - species is present in areas of remnant vegetation |
X - species once occurred in this area |
S - species that prefer sandy soils |
1=Ridges and Upper slopes; 2=Mid-slope; 3=Lower slope; 4=Drainage lines
Further Contacts
Acknowledgements: David Perry DSE and Mark Trengove
This information sheet is also available in PDF format.