Fraser Coast Plantation Water Quality

Fraser Coast Plantation Water Quality is a plantation forestry project located approximately 15km southwest of Hervey Bay in the Fraser Coast region of Queensland. It was registered in June 2020 and covers 76.28 hectares.

Plantation forestry projects sequester carbon by establishing and maintaining a new plantation forest intended for the commercial harvesting of wood products. Standard methodology requirements include adhering to proper tree stocking densities and managing the forest for commercial timber or fibre production.

The Fraser Coast region is characterised by rural land uses including cattle grazing, sugar cane cropping, and forestry. The area experiences a high-rainfall subtropical climate, receiving an average of approximately 1,050 mm of precipitation annually. Regional soils generally consist of podosols and kurosols, which typically feature sandy or loamy surfaces over clay subsoils.

An interesting aspect of this project is its integration with the Fraser Coast Regional Council's "100,000 Trees" initiative. The council uses 100% recycled effluent wastewater for the plantation, diverting around 2.5 billion litres of wastewater annually from the ocean and local waterways to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. Additionally, in August 2025, the project transitioned from the 2017 Plantation Forestry methodology to the updated 2022 framework.