Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00437:body:0:p191
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00437
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 614481–617670

An unnamed tributary draining into Lake Burley Griffin is located along the eastern boundary of the study area.

       The bedrock geology of the Campbell precinct is dominated by the Ainslie volcanics which consists of Devonian rocks including rhyolite, dacite, tuff, and quartz porphyry (Canberra 1:250,000 geological map 2nd Ed 1964). Soils within the area typically include red earths and red and yellow podzolic soils. Massive earths of a red or brown colour occur on the fan deposits flanking Mount Ainslie (Walker 1978).

       The Campbell study area is characterised by a constructed undulating landscape where extensive landscaping and modification has subsumed the original landscape topography. Vegetation at the Campbell site represents contemporary plantings since the 1940s (pers. comm. Craig Seaton, AWM). Plantings of eucalypts and wattles have been developed on the eastern portion of the study area, appearing as an extension of the Mount Ainslie vegetation (Figure 4.2). Exotic species of deciduous and coniferous trees (Figure 4.3) have been developed on the western portion of the site (Australian Heritage List #105889 Australian War Memorial and the Memorial Parade, Anzac Pde, Campbell, ACT).

       Extensive landuse impacts and modification to the Campbell site has resulted in widespread disturbance of the upper soil layers within the study area. The types of landscape disturbance which are evident within the study area include:

            * Original clearance of the native tree cover and understorey;

            * Construction of memorial buildings and associated structures, access tracks and roadways;

            * Construction of public utility easements (for example, gas pipelines, communication cables and power lines);

            * Major earthworks associated with contour mounding and creekline realignments; and

            * Creation and maintenance of exotic and native plantings including ripping of soils.

       Changes in vegetation cover will have had considerable impact on the upper soil profile throughout the study area. The removal of native vegetation would have prompted erosion and surface instability on the valley slopes and the sedimentation of the valley floor.

       This land use history will have significantly impacted the survival and integrity of the prehistoric archaeological record. It is probable that any possible surface scatters of artefacts which occur within the uppermost soil layers will have undergone varying degrees of horizontal and vertical disturbance particularly from the removal of vegetation and extensive plantings. However, unless impact has been wholesale, (such as in excavation, filling or recontouring) it is frequently possible to identify a remnant scatter of disturbed artefacts which mark such sites.

                            Figure 4.1 Drawing of Australian War Memorial Campbell Precinct (plan supplied by AWM)

        Figure 4.2 View northwest towards plantings of native trees in the eastern portion of the Australian War Memorial Campbell Precinct

   Figure 4.3 View of western portion of Australian War Memorial Campbell Precinct looking west towards landscaped