This paper assesses the magnitude and properties of Philip's (1957b) infiltration parameters, sorptivity and transmission factor A, on a Red Earth of central-north Queensland. The soil supports an open eucalypt woodland with a discontinuous ground cover of grasses. Eight infiltration rings (0.3 m diameter, 0.15 m deep) were driven into the soil 0.10 m, giving four replicates each of bare soil and part-vegetation (dominated by spinifex). The rings were then left to consolidate followed by intermittent measurements taken over a 2-yr period which incorporated three wet seasons. Although the truncated equation of Philip (1957b) satisfactorily fitted the infiltration data, the two derived parameters cannot be considered to be estimates of sorptivity and A of Philip (1957b) because the time over which his equation is appropriate is restricted to a few seconds in this soil. Therefore “profile at infinity” conditions of Philip (1969) are rapidly attained such that our A parameter approaches field saturated hydraulic conductivity, K∗ with the consequence that cumulative infiltration ( i) can be described by i = K∗t. This means that field saturated hydraulic conductivity under these ponded conditions is the dominant parameter. This study highlighted that temporal heterogeneity (in the A parameter) was as significant as spatial heterogeneity because the soil fabric was apparently changing due to biological activity and raindrop compaction. Thus, the work emphasises the limitation of point field measurements in time as representative estimate of infiltration properties. For a comprehensive description of infiltration knowledge is required of the temporal as well as the spatial variability of the relevant parameters which in this soil was field saturated hydraulic conductivity.