Tucker Carbon

Tucker Carbon is a soil carbon sequestration project located near Willaura, approximately 50km east of Hamilton in Western Victoria. Registered in March 2021, the project covers a substantial area of 1,436 hectares on the "Rhynie Pastoral" property, situated within the shadow of the Grampians National Park. The proponent, Tucker's Dorper Pty Ltd, is a third-generation farming family operation that transitioned from Merino wool to Dorper sheep and broadacre cropping to better suit changing climatic conditions.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon (Measurement and Models) methodology. This framework allows farmers to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by sequestering carbon in agricultural soils. While the project registered specific activities related to applying nutrients (synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers) to address material deficiencies, the wider farming operation utilizes a "wholly regenerative farm management system." This includes strict rotational grazing to allow pasture rest and recovery, which is a key driver for building soil organic carbon alongside nutrient management.

The Western District region where the project sits is characterized by the Victorian Volcanic Plains. Consequently, the soils are typically fertile but heavy basalt clays and loams, which have a high capacity for carbon storage but can be prone to waterlogging. The area experiences a temperate climate with reliable rainfall, historically averaging between 550mm and 700mm annually, making it one of Victoria's premier agricultural zones for mixed grazing and cropping.

A notable administrative detail is the project's variation in August 2022, shifting from the 2018 "Measurement" methodology to the 2021 "Measurement and Models" version. This transition suggests a strategic move to utilize soil carbon modelling software (like RothC) to estimate carbon stocks in between physical soil core sampling rounds, potentially reducing the high costs associated with physical measurement. The project is managed in partnership with the carbon service provider Climate Friendly.