Landscape

Geography

Mount Alexander Shire is situated within the Goldfields bioregion.

We are within a broad area often referred to as the Box-Ironbark Forest, which is rich in floristic diversity.

It’s an ecosystem dominated by dry forests and characterised by Box and Ironbark eucalypt tree species.

The forest is situated in a transition zone between the semi-arid plains to the north and the wetter forests of the Great Dividing Range to the south.

The shire supports an overlap of indigenous flora and fauna species from both wet and dry habitats.

Geology

The great diversity of flora and fauna in our region is partly due to the wide variety of different geologies.

These contain unique soil types that support different plant communities.

Geologies in Mount Alexander Shire include:

  • Auriferous (gold bearing) sedimentary bedrock – around Castlemaine
  • Volcanic plains – at Moolort, near Baringhup and on the Guildford Plateau
  • Large granitic incursion – wraps as a band extending from Maldon to Bendigo, through to Harcourt and Faraday
  • Alluvial deposits – along major waterways such as Campbells and Muckleford Creeks and the Loddon River

Indigenous vegetation and wildlife habitat

The shire’s natural environment has been significantly impacted by the goldrushes that began locally in the 1850s.

However, large areas of the shire still support diverse indigenous vegetation and wildlife habitat.

These areas include the extensive Box-Ironbark Forests around Castlemaine, between Maldon and Newstead, and around Sandon and Campbelltown.

There are also significant areas of open woodland, another vegetation type that contains great species diversity, on farmland in Sutton Grange, Harcourt and Nuggetty.

Learn more about what makes up Mount Alexander Shire’s natural environment.

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