Swartz Carbon Project 1

Swartz Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located on the "Calliweera" property in the Fitzroy Basin, approximately 70km west of Rockhampton, Queensland. Registered in March 2022, the project covers roughly 404 hectares and is part of a larger aggregation of carbon projects managed by the Warnock family in partnership with service provider AgriProve.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits increases in soil organic carbon stocks resulting from changes in land management. Specifically, this project involves a transition from set stocking to rotational grazing to improve pasture rest periods and root depth. To facilitate this, the landholders have invested significantly in new infrastructure, including electric fencing and additional water points, allowing for higher density grazing with longer recovery times for the vegetation.

The Fitzroy Basin region is a major hub for cattle grazing in Australia, characterized by a sub-tropical climate with summer-dominant rainfall. The local environment typically features fertile cracking clay soils and alluvial river flats, which are responsive to regenerative grazing practices. The region's rainfall patterns allow for rapid pasture growth during the wet season, which the project aims to harness to pump carbon into the soil profile.

A notable aspect of the wider Swartz aggregation (which includes this project) is its status as a flagship success story for soil carbon in Australia. The Warnock family, who have farmed the area for five generations, reportedly achieved Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) issuance within just two years of project operation, significantly faster than the industry average. The operational changes have also allowed them to reportedly double their carrying capacity while improving soil health.