Wivenhoe Land Restoration Pilot Project

Wivenhoe Land Restoration Pilot Project is an environmental planting project located on the foreshores of Lake Wivenhoe, approximately 60km northwest of Brisbane and 20km south of Esk in Queensland. Registered in December 2019, the project covers nearly 169 hectares within the Somerset Region, an area historically dominated by cattle grazing and agricultural operations. The site sits within the catchment of South East Queensland's primary water storage infrastructure, placing it in a strategic location for land management interventions.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM) methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of mixed native tree species on land that has been clear of forest cover and used for grazing or cropping for at least five years prior to commencement. As a "FullCAM" project, it relies on specific modelling calibrations to estimate carbon sequestration, requiring the planting of species indigenous to the local area, such as Queensland Blue Gum and Ironbarks, at densities sufficient to achieve forest cover (typically greater than 200 stems per hectare) and a height of at least two metres.

Environmentally, the region is characterized by a subtropical climate with average annual rainfall between 800mm and 950mm, supporting robust vegetation growth. The soils around the Lake Wivenhoe buffer zone are complex, often consisting of chromosols (texture-contrast soils) and dermosols (structured clays) derived from sedimentary rock. These soil types can be susceptible to erosion when cleared, making revegetation critical for landscape stability.

A notable feature of this project is its status as a "Pilot" initiative driven by the Queensland Bulk Water Supply Authority (trading as Seqwater), with delivery support from CO2 Australia. Unlike standard commercial carbon projects, this initiative was designed to demonstrate the co-benefits of carbon farming for water security. By restoring native woodland on the dam's buffer zone, the project aims to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff into the drinking water supply, while simultaneously creating a biodiversity corridor for local wildlife, including Koalas and Glossy Black-Cockatoos.