Whitlam Carbon Project 1

Whitlam Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Upper South East region of South Australia, situated approximately 15km southeast of Tintinara and 20km northwest of Keith. Registered on April 2, 2022, the project covers a land area of roughly 149 hectares. The site sits within the Coorong District Council area, a region historically known as the "Ninety Mile Desert" before the introduction of trace elements and superphosphate transformed it into a productive agricultural zone. The surrounding landscape is dominated by mixed farming operations, primarily consisting of cropping (wheat, barley, canola) and livestock grazing.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models). This framework rewards landholders for increasing the amount of organic carbon stored in their soil, which is measured through physical soil sampling and laboratory analysis. To achieve these gains, the project proponents have committed to specific land management activities, including the application of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, the retention of stubble after harvest to protect soil structure, and a conversion from intensive tillage to reduced or no-tillage practices. These activities are designed to minimize soil disturbance and maximize biomass return to the ground.

Environmentally, the region is characterized by a semi-arid to Mediterranean climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450mm. The soils in this corridor between Tintinara and Keith are typically sandy, often comprising deep siliceous sands or sandy loams over clay and limestone substrates. These soils can be naturally low in fertility and prone to water repellence (hydrophobicity), making the management of soil organic matter critical for retaining moisture and sustaining productivity.

The project is developed by Agriprove Solutions, Australia’s largest developer of soil carbon projects. The existence of a "Whitlam Carbon Project 4" in the registry suggests that this project is part of a larger aggregation of carbon farming initiatives on the same property or within the same family holding, a common strategy to maximize the efficiency of soil sampling and baselining costs.