Peninsula Uplands (Environmental Region 3.2)
This region consists of 20 environmental associations. It extends from the Fleurieu Peninsula to the Barossa Valley and includes the moister parts of the Mt. Lofty Ranges. The region is predominantly an undulating to low hilly upland with steeper marginal ranges and hills. The lateritized surface present on Kangaroo Island continues into the Fleurieu Peninsula but becomes increasingly dissected northward to where only few remnants survive as rounded crests and summits with mottled-yellow duplex soils. The lowest-lying areas are the Inman Valley where soft glacial and fluvio-glacial deposits have been lowered more quickly than the surrounding sedimentary rocks, and the Barossa Valley which represents a structural basin. The various types of open forest and woodland which originally covered most of the region exist as scattered remnants in nature reserves and small, isolated, rather inaccessible areas as yet uncleared. Open forest and low open forest, commonly dominated by messmate (E. obliqua) and brown stringybark (E. baxteri) are found in the areas of higher rainfall on deep, lateritic soils. Where soils are shallower or sandy, pink gum (E. fasciculosa), cup gum (E. cosmophylla) and, in the northern part of the region, longleaved box (E. goniocalyx) are characteristic species. Blue gum (E. leucoxylon) is the dominant species of the woodlands, which usually occur in the lower rainfall areas and on podzolized soils. Manna gum(E. huberana and E. viminalis) occurs in the wetter and cooler woodlands, while peppermint box (E. odorata) characterizes drier sites. In the most arid parts of the woodland formation eucalypts give way to drooping sheoak (Casuarina stricta), a species which also occurs in coastal situations on shallow rocky soils. The scenic resources of the region are extremely varied. Many factors contribute to this variation: landforms range from gently undulating plains to intricately dissected ridges; steep climatic gradients cause marked changes in vegetation and land use over short distances; the coastline has features ranging from long, curved beaches to steep cliffs; and most importantly, there is man's impact on the landscape which frequently determines the subordinate elements in the views. The scenic quality of the region has been appreciated for a long time and has been a source of recreation and inspiration. Scenic routes laid out for the motoring visitor and trails for walkers further the enjoyment of the scenery for local inhabitants and tourists alike. Details of the views are given in the landscape descriptions of the environmental associations. There is a cool climate with a distinct winter rainfall maximum. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 300 mm along the north-eastern margin to 1100 mm in the Mt. Lofty Ranges. Mean annual evaporation increases from about 1700 m in the south to 2000 mm in the north-east. While mean monthly evaporation is high in summer, it falls below the median monthly rainfall in winter. Temperatures are cool to warm in summer and cool to cold in winter, with relatively low diurnal variation.
