Yaloak Estate Carbon Plantings #1 Project (Revoked)

Yaloak Estate Carbon Plantings #1 Project (Revoked) was a carbon sequestration initiative located at the historic Yaloak Estate, approximately 10km south of Ballan and 60km west of Melbourne, Victoria. Registered in March 2015, the project covered a significant area of 5,741 hectares within the Parwan Valley region. The project was developed by Corporate Carbon Solutions Pty Ltd on land historically utilized for extensive grazing (sheep and wool) and cropping.

The project operated under the Reforestation and Afforestation 1.2 methodology. This framework generates carbon credits by establishing permanent forest cover on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years prior to commencement. Unlike strictly biodiversity-focused environmental plantings, this methodology permitted the use of non-endemic native species. Accordingly, this project established permanent plantings of Eucalyptus cladocalyx (Sugar Gum) and Corymbia maculata (Spotted Gum), Australian natives often favoured in farm forestry for their durability and growth rates, rather than species strictly local to the Victorian Volcanic Plain.

The Yaloak Estate region is characterized by a high rainfall climate, receiving approximately 500mm to 600mm annually. The landscape features undulating basalt plains leading into steep gorges, with a soil profile dominated by duplex sodosols (basalt clay-loam topsoil over heavy sodic clay). These heavy soils are prone to waterlogging, which has historically driven the estate to adopt raised-bed cropping techniques and host agronomic research into subsoil management.

Notable for its scale and diversity, Yaloak Estate is a prominent rural property that hosts not only agricultural operations but also a wind farm and the well-known Yaloak Polo Club. While the project was voluntarily revoked in March 2017, records indicate it successfully completed its contractual obligations (Contract CAC597637) under the Emissions Reduction Fund prior to revocation.