Moora Plains Soil Carbon Project

Moora Plains Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located at Gogango, approximately 65km west of Rockhampton in Central Queensland. The project was registered in January 2017 and covers a project area of 3,554 hectares. The property, owned by the Lawrie family (Paringa Pasture Pty Ltd), is situated along the banks of the Fitzroy River and is primarily used for beef cattle trading.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits the measured increase of soil organic carbon stocks resulting from new management activities. To achieve this, the proponents transitioned from set-stocking to high-density, time-controlled grazing. By subdividing paddocks and upgrading water infrastructure, they increased stock density significantly while extending pasture rest periods, sometimes up to 300 days, to allow deep-rooted grasses to recover and sequester carbon.

The Gogango region typically experiences a sub-tropical climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 615mm. The landscape features alluvial soils near the river and self-mulching cracking clays (Vertosols) common to the Brigalow Belt, which have a high capacity for holding water and nutrients. Moora Plains is historically significant in the Australian carbon market; in June 2023, it was one of the first two properties to be issued a large volume of soil carbon credits (ACCUs) at scale, demonstrating that regenerative grazing can sequester carbon even during periods of drought and flood.