Environmental Values of the Corinella Foreshore Reserve
GeologyFour sites of geological formation of State significance exist within the reserve including the coastal cliff and shore platforms that were used to interpret Holocene sea level history.
Settlement Point and Western Precinct Geology
Older volcanic rock on the western coastline from Settlement point to Hughes St is considered to be a major example of deeply weathered older volcanic rock formation. Older volcanics lava and tuff are exposed on the cliff face and have friable red and yellow rock. The cliff is fronted by shore platform which are a less weathered volcanic rock. Southern Precinct (below)
Southern sections of coastline are characterised by a low Holocene dune system fronted by a sandy beach. |
Jetty to Northern Precinct Geology (below) Along the Northern coast a mangrove fringe is regenerating in front of an early Holocene coastline which consists of bluffs and small sections of sandy beach. |
Flora
Indigenous plants are plants that grew naturally on the coastline of Corinella before European settlement, and have adapted to local conditions over thousands of years. Indigenous plants support the survival of local wildlife and helps conserve the unique beauty of natural coastal landscapes.
Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) has a striking burgundy-green foliage, high drought and heat tolerance, grows in a wide variety of soils and flowers December - January. The Oval which is situated at Settlement Point is predominately native kangaroo grass. 99.5% of Victoria's grasslands have been destroyed reducing the once extensive native vegetation to small isolated remnants.
Kangaroo grass (Right) Hedge Wattle (Acadia paradoxa) Shrub or small spreading tree; rather untidy, intricately branching and armed with fine thorns. Flowers are deep golden-yellow with large globular heads. Small birds, including wrens, use this plant as shelter and dwelling, while it is relied upon as a food source for moths, butterflies and other insects, birds also feed on its seeds. Found all over the reserve providing a sea of yellow when it flowers during spring.
(Below) Hedge wattle along the path (Bottom) Hedge wattle in bloom adds golden colour to the Reserve |
White Mangrove (Avicennia marina) Mangroves are small trees that usually grow in the area between the low and high tides. White Mangroves have a shallow but large lateral root system that spreads out from the trunk offering support in the soft sediment within which they grow. The plants obtain their oxygen at low tide at through "knees" (or pneumatophores) adapted for this purpose and are seen standing around the base of the trees. White mangroves on the northern shoreline of Corinella.
Knees or pneumatophores (top left) and mangroves to jetty landscape (bottom left) She-oak (Allocasuarina verticillata) Is a small upright evergreen tree growing up to a height of 10 metres growing with a rounded crown.
The trees appear to have no leaves but there are tiny leaves at the ends of the drooping branchlets. This tree has separate male and female plants. Male have spectacular yellow-gold flowers and females red. Female trees can be identified by the oval cones on along the branches. Common, especially in exposed situations, on well drained soils of coastal cliffs. (Below) Stand of she-oaks - male in golden flower in the centre (Bottom): oval cones of a female she-oak |