2018 AGE CLASS - LIMESTONE PLANTATIONS

2018 AGE CLASS - LIMESTONE PLANTATIONS is a plantation forestry project located in the Green Triangle region on the border of Victoria and South Australia, within the West Wimmera local government area. Based on the coordinates provided, the project is situated approximately 60 kilometres north of Mount Gambier. Registered in May 2018, the project initially covered an area of 1252.57 hectares. The surrounding region is celebrated as one of Australia's most productive forestry districts, with land use dominated by commercial timber operations alongside sheep and cattle grazing and viticulture.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2017. Plantation forestry projects generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by storing carbon in plantation trees. The core activity of this specific project is the conversion of an existing short-rotation plantation forest (typically harvested early for woodchips or pulp) into a long-rotation plantation schedule designed for the commercial harvesting of sawlogs. This management change extends the period that carbon remains stored in the trees before harvest and encourages the production of long-lived wood products that continue to sequester carbon off-site.

Environmentally, the Limestone Coast and Green Triangle region features a temperate, Mediterranean-style climate with high winter-dominant rainfall, which is ideal for the rapid growth of softwood and hardwood plantations. The local soils are characteristically formed over a limestone base, featuring well-draining sandy loams, nutrient-rich terra rossa, and clay profiles.

An interesting development in the project's history occurred in May 2025, when the project proponent was officially updated to OneFortyOne Plantations Pty Ltd. This change followed a massive acquisition by OneFortyOne, a major forestry company backed by Australia's Future Fund. The company acquired the 15,000-hectare "Limestone Estate" from natural capital manager New Forests in a landmark transaction. This strategic purchase significantly expanded OneFortyOne's footprint in the Green Triangle, aiming to secure domestic sawlog supply for the Australian housing construction sector. Additionally, an earlier administrative variation in May 2021 saw a reduction in the project's overall size as specific land areas were removed.