The Monaro region is a large plateau about above sea level. It lies between the valley of the Murrumbidgee River in the north, and the Errinundra Plateau in the south. It drops steeply to the coast on its eastern side. Much of the region is an ancient highland, but there is basaltic bedrock near Cooma and Nimmitabel. This produces the only true chernozems in Australia. These are some of the best soils in the whole country. Elsewhere on the Monaro the granitic soils are very infertile. They supported dry forest vegetation before clearing for farming.