Carbon Estate - Creating a Better Climate - Stage 2

Carbon Estate - Creating a Better Climate - Stage 2 is a reforestation and afforestation project located on the "Barooga Karrai" property, approximately 60km west of Condobolin in New South Wales. It was registered in January 2015 and covers hundreds of hectares of land that was previously used for agricultural purposes (exact area figures are currently suppressed on the Clean Energy Regulator register).

Reforestation and Afforestation projects involve establishing permanent plantings of native trees or woody shrubs on land that has been historically clear of forest, usually due to agricultural use. To generate carbon credits, these plantings must be maintained permanently and planted at a density sufficient to reach a forest canopy, which generally requires at least 20% crown cover and a potential height of two metres. The primary project activity for this specific site is the establishment of permanent plantings of Eucalyptus polybractea (Blue Mallee) trees.

The Condobolin region is situated within the traditional wheat-sheep zone of New South Wales, an area well-known for broadacre cropping and livestock grazing. The environment features a semi-arid climate with a relatively low mean annual rainfall of approximately 400 to 470 mm. The soils in this region are generally classified as sandy clay loams and loamy soils, making them well-suited for hardy, drought-tolerant mallee species.

This project is notable for being one of the first of its kind to integrate significant Indigenous community co-benefits. The project proponent, Carbon Estate Pty Ltd, alongside their agent CO2 Australia, worked in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) and the Murrin Bridge Local Aboriginal Land Council to revegetate the degraded agricultural land. Tree species were carefully selected for their drought, disease, and fire tolerance, and were planted in belts through existing cropping paddocks. This layout provides tangible agricultural benefits by protecting crops from drying winds and keeping groundwater levels low to reduce the risk of land salinisation. Under a revenue-sharing agreement, the Traditional Owners receive a portion of all Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) sales. Additionally, the project has provided local training opportunities, including a carbon measurement workshop hosted in December 2017 for local Aboriginal community members. The project was originally contracted under the Emissions Reduction Fund in April 2015, and its Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC308837) was successfully completed as of March 2024.