Whitlam Carbon Project 4

Whitlam Carbon Project 4 is a soil carbon project located near Coombe in the Upper South East region of South Australia, approximately 20km southeast of Tintinara and 20km northwest of Keith. Registered in April 2022, the project covers 286 hectares of agricultural land within the Coorong District Council area. The region is widely recognized for its mixed farming operations, primarily supporting dryland cropping and livestock grazing.

This project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Measurement and Models), which credits farmers for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks. To generate credits, the project proponent must demonstrate a net increase in carbon sequestration through specific land management changes. Standard requirements involve baseline soil sampling followed by subsequent rounds of testing to verify carbon gains over time.

The environmental conditions in this part of the Upper South East are characterized by a semi-arid to Mediterranean climate with average annual rainfall between 400mm and 500mm. The landscape, historically known as the "Ninety Mile Desert" before agricultural development, typically features sandy loams and calcareous soils over calcrete or limestone.

Project activities for Whitlam Carbon Project 4 specifically focus on improving soil health and carbon retention through three main practices: applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, retaining stubble after harvest, and converting from intensive tillage to reduced or no-tillage systems. The project is managed by Agriprove Solutions, a prominent soil carbon project developer in Australia.