Swartz Carbon Project 3

Swartz Carbon Project 3 is a soil carbon project located on Calliweera Station, approximately 50km northwest of Rockhampton in Queensland's Fitzroy Basin. It was registered in March 2022 and covers 259.02ha.

Soil carbon projects involve altering agricultural land management practices to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil profile. The 2021 Measurement and Models methodology requires baselining the soil carbon through direct sampling, implementing eligible new management activities, and then using a combination of ongoing measurement and modelling to estimate carbon sequestration over time.

The Rockhampton and Fitzroy River catchment region is predominantly known for extensive beef cattle grazing operations. The area experiences a subtropical climate characterised by variable, summer-dominant rainfall, and soils in the region generally range from alluvial sandy loams on river flats to darker, friable earths and inherently nutrient-poor clays in upland grazing areas.

This project increases carbon in the soil by applying nutrients to address material deficiencies, rejuvenating pastures through seeding, and altering the stocking rate, duration, and intensity of grazing to promote soil health and vegetation cover. On Calliweera Station, these practice changes tie into a broader conservation effort. The Warnock family, who own the 3,600ha property, have partnered with the Fitzroy Water Quality Project to increase ground cover, reverse erosion, and prevent fine sediments from running off into the Great Barrier Reef. Swartz Carbon Project 3 is one of several sequentially numbered "Swartz" projects managed by Agriprove on the station, and in November 2025, the project successfully transitioned from the older 2018 soil carbon determination to the updated 2021 methodology.