Whitlam Carbon Project 8

Whitlam Carbon Project 8 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Upper South East region of South Australia, approximately 25 kilometers northwest of the town of Keith. Registered in April 2022, the project covers 261.64 hectares within the Coorong District Council area. The region is predominantly characterized by mixed farming operations, including dryland cropping (cereals and lucerne) and livestock grazing.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This high-integrity methodology requires the proponent to establish a baseline of soil carbon stocks through physical sampling. Subsequently, land management activities are altered to encourage carbon sequestration. For Whitlam Carbon Project 8, these specific activities include applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, retaining crop stubble rather than burning or removing it, and converting from intensive tillage to reduced or no-tillage practices. The carbon sequestered is then quantified using a combination of physical measurement and modeled estimates over a 25-year crediting period.

The environment in the Coorong and Tatiara districts typically experiences a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Annual rainfall in the nearby town of Keith averages around 460mm. The local soil profile is often described as "duplex," commonly featuring sandy topsoils over clay subsoils. These sandy soils can be prone to water repellence and nutrient deficiencies, making the project's focus on soil amelioration and nutrient application particularly relevant for improving both agricultural productivity and soil organic carbon levels.

Agriprove Solutions Pty Ltd, the project proponent, is Australia's largest developer of soil carbon projects. The "Whitlam" naming convention likely denotes a specific portfolio or aggregation of properties managed by Agriprove. By integrating stubble retention and no-till farming, the project aims to protect the sandy topsoil from wind erosion while building organic matter, demonstrating a synergy between sustainable land management and carbon finance.