Toolarbaa Soil Carbon Project

Toolarbaa Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Central Eyre Peninsula, approximately 25km southeast of Wudinna and 20km northeast of Lock, South Australia. Registered in August 2021, the project covers a substantial area of 5,777 hectares.

The project operates under the Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems methodology (2018). This method requires the proponent to physically sample soil carbon levels to establish a baseline, implement new management activities to increase carbon stocks, and re-sample in subsequent years to verify the increase. The specific activities for Toolarbaa include altering grazing intensity, retaining crop stubble, reduced tillage, and applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers. Notably, the project involves "using mechanical means to add or redistribute soil," which in this region almost certainly refers to clay spreading or delving, a practice used to fix non-wetting sandy soils by bringing up clay from the subsoil.

The Eyre Peninsula region is a major agricultural hub known for mixed farming, specifically winter cropping (wheat, barley, canola) combined with sheep grazing. The environment is semi-arid with low rainfall, typically receiving between 300mm and 400mm annually. The soils in this specific location are characteristically sandy, calcareous, and low in organic matter, often requiring the mechanical intervention mentioned in the project activities to improve water retention and crop yields.

Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a well-known project developer and advisory firm in the Australian market, is the proponent for this project.