As a southern hemisphere continent that has been geologically stable for millennia, Australia has developed a unique combination of landforms, regolith and soils. The factors important to the evolution of Australia and the processes by which these landform, regolith and soil assemblages make up the Australian landscape are the focus of this course.

Geological, geomorphological, ecological and biogeochemical processes form the basis of an analysis of how landforms have come to exist; how the mantle of regolith and soils forms across the landscape; and the role of the biota are featured in this analysis. Modules include the weathering of the underlying geology, the evolution of hillslopes and valleys, erosion and deposition of materials in the terrestrial landscape, the development of the regolith mantle, and ultimately the formation of soils on the surface. The age of the Australian landscape adds to the complexity and relict and palaeo landforms are considered, as are relict materials and formations in regolith and palaeosols. To complete the course a module on the interactions of humans with the landscape includes both Aboriginal land management and Caucasian settlement, and the evidence of landscape and regolith evolution in the recent past.

General science knowledge. 

Corbett, J.R., 1969, The Living Soil, Martindale Press.

Young, A. and R. Young, 2001, Soils in the Australian Landscape, Oxford, Melbourne.