However the area is borderline, as clearing and grazing gives the landscape an appearance more of svannah woodland with a natural grassy understorey. Due to heavy grazing even the neighbouring land to the east, where the canopy layer is still largely retained, there is little indication of the makeup of a shrub understorey. Rainfall is not high, lower than 800mm p.a. and periods of drought are common. The soils are moderately to highly permeable, i.e. the shallow skeletal soils have moderate to low water retaining capacity and the soils are nutrient poor in nitrogen and phosphorus. However due to shifting as a result of tree clearing the soil layer is much deeper on the down - slope at places up to 1.5 meters and quite able to sustain a thriving plant community as evidenced by the orchard.
Enough soil remains on the higher slopes due to the weed coverage to regrow an open forest.
There has not been a fire in the last ten years of occupation and there is no evidence of a strong fire regime normally a factor in dry scerophyll forests. The land was cleared in the 1930's and there is little for a fire to burn, although a grass fire is a possibility. This would restrict plant growth in winter. Adequate provision has to be made for water supply in drier years. The highest rainfall is in the summer months in both Capertee and Sofala, however that falls over fewer days than the rain falls in the winter.