Larrabyrn Farm Forestry

Larrabyrn Farm Forestry is a plantation forestry project located approximately 12km south of Derrinallum and 20km north of Camperdown in the Corangamite Shire of western Victoria. Registered in December 2020, the project initially covered 2.57 hectares, though a variation in December 2022 added further areas to the estate. The surrounding region lies on the Victorian Volcanic Plains, a landscape traditionally dominated by broadacre grazing (sheep and cattle) and cropping operations.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. Unlike environmental planting projects which permanently protect vegetation, the Plantation Forestry method is designed to integrate carbon sequestration with commercial timber production. It allows for the establishment of new plantations or the conversion of existing short-rotation plantations to long-rotation. In this specific case, the project involves establishing a new plantation forest intended for the commercial harvesting of wood products, sequestering carbon in the growing trees and the resulting timber products.

The environmental setting is characteristic of the Western District's volcanic plains. The area typically experiences a moderate temperate rainfall, generally falling between 600mm and 700mm annually. The soils in this region are predominantly basalt-derived, often consisting of heavy grey or black cracking clays (Vertosols) and loams which are fertile but can be prone to waterlogging in winter.

The project proponent is Michael Carroll. A notable aspect of this project is its operation on a relatively small scale (initially under 3 hectares) compared to large corporate forestry estates, highlighting the accessibility of the scheme for smaller landholders integrating farm forestry. The project has a crediting period of 25 years.