Yaloak Estate Carbon Plantings #2 Project (Revoked)

Yaloak Estate Carbon Plantings #2 Project was a large-scale reforestation initiative located at Yaloak Estate near Ballan, approximately 60 kilometers northwest of Melbourne, Victoria. Registered in March 2015, the project covered a significant project area of over 5,700 hectares, encompassing the boundaries of the historic mixed-farming property. Yaloak Estate is a well-known holding in the region, traditionally utilized for broad-acre livestock grazing and cropping, and more recently hosting the Yaloak South Wind Farm.

The project operated under the Reforestation and Afforestation 1.2 methodology, which incentivizes the planting of trees on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. Specifically, this project focused on establishing permanent plantings of Eucalyptus cladocalyx (Sugar Gum) and Corymbia maculata (Spotted Gum). These species are often utilized in agricultural landscapes for shelterbelts and timber due to their hardiness and rapid growth. The project was voluntarily revoked in March 2022 under section 30 of the CFI Rule. This revocation followed the high-profile sale of the estate in 2020 to a China-backed agricultural firm, suggesting a change in land management strategy or corporate structuring by the new owners.

Environmentally, the Ballan region falls within a high rainfall zone, typically receiving over 500mm annually, which supports vigorous pasture and tree growth. The landscape sits on the Victorian Volcanic Plains, characterized by duplex sodosols, specifically basalt clay-loam topsoils overlying heavy sodic clay subsoils. While these soils are fertile, they can be prone to waterlogging in winter and hard-setting in summer, making deep-rooted tree plantings a strategic intervention for managing soil hydrology.