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The chenopod shrublands provide some of the most important rangeland pastures for sheep production in Western Australia. Stable production in the long term requires that these pastures are maintained in good condition. However, as a result of overgrazing, palatable chenopod shrubs can disappear, concomitant with degradation of soil physical properties (1,2). The potential for overgrazing to degrade soil physical properties depends on both the past management history of the pastures and the current stocking rates. The effects of both these factors on soil physical properties was investigated in chenopod shrublands in good and poor condition near Carnarvon, Western Australia. This work was part of a collaborative project between CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology and the W.A. Department of Agriculture, Carnarvon and was funded by the National Soil Conservation Program.