Boorook Carbon Project

Boorook Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located at the "Boorook" property near Woorndoo and Mortlake, approximately 50km north of Warrnambool in south-western Victoria. It was registered in February 2021 and covers an area of 2,059.75 hectares.

Soil carbon projects operating under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology involve modifying agricultural land management practices to increase the amount of carbon stored within the soil. Standard requirements for this project type include establishing a highly accurate baseline through rigorous soil sampling, detailed mapping, and ongoing measurement and modelling to verify carbon sequestration over the course of the crediting period.

The Mortlake and Woorndoo region is located on the Victorian Volcanic Plain and is highly regarded for its productive agriculture, with a traditional focus on sheep and cattle grazing alongside an increasing presence of dryland cropping. The area experiences a temperate oceanic climate with a moderate annual rainfall of approximately 600-615mm. Local soils are typically very fertile, characterised by basalt clay loams and alkaline black duplex soils.

This project was established to increase soil organic matter, build drought resilience, and improve water-holding capacity across the property. Project activities involve addressing material soil deficiencies by applying nutrients to the land in the form of compost and synthetic fertilisers (such as MAP). This is paired with the planting of deep-rooted, 12-species mixed pastures and the implementation of rotational grazing to break up compacted soil layers. In April 2023, the project was varied from the 2018 soil carbon method to the updated 2021 methodology.

Interestingly, the "Boorook" property has been farmed by the Allen family since 1906. With a strong, holistic focus on environmental management and animal welfare, the property is currently the only Australian farm nominated as a McDonald's Flagship Farm, a program that showcases sustainable agricultural practices to a global audience. In addition to their carbon project, the farm operates a highly successful cattle breeding enterprise that supplies carbon-neutral beef for Coles supermarkets.