Yaloak Estate Environmental Plantings #1 Project (Revoked)

The Yaloak Estate Environmental Plantings #1 Project (Revoked) was a carbon sequestration initiative located on the historic Yaloak Estate, approximately 15 kilometers south of Ballan and 60 kilometers west of Melbourne, Victoria. Registered in March 2015, the project originally encompassed over 2,000 hectares of land within the Moorabool Shire. The project operated for seven years before being voluntarily revoked in March 2022 under Section 30 of the CFI Rule, a provision typically used when a proponent elects to withdraw a project, often to restructure their carbon portfolio or transition to different land management strategies.

The project utilized the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology. This method is designed to establish permanent native forests on land that has been clear of forest cover for at least five years prior to commencement, typically land previously used for grazing or cropping. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the project was required to plant mixed native species, such as local Eucalypts and wattles, at a density sufficient to achieve forest crown cover, generally requiring at least 200 stems per hectare.

Geographically, the Yaloak Estate sits within the Victorian Volcanic Plain, a region characterized by its distinct geology and climate. The area falls into a high rainfall zone, receiving approximately 500mm to 600mm of precipitation annually. The soil profile is typical of the region's volcanic origins, consisting of duplex sodosols with a basalt clay-loam topsoil overlying heavy sodic clay. These heavy soils can be prone to waterlogging and erosion, making environmental planting a strategic choice for improving land stability and soil health alongside carbon abatement.

Yaloak Estate itself is a prominent agricultural property that integrates diverse land uses. Beyond this specific carbon project, the estate is known for broad-acre livestock (sheep) and cropping operations, as well as hosting the Yaloak South Wind Farm. The estate has also been a hub for agricultural research, specifically investigating subsoil manuring techniques to improve the productivity of the region's heavy clay soils.