Hidden Valley AC Project

Hidden Valley AC Project is an Avoided Clearing project located in the Fraser Coast region of Queensland, approximately 30km west of Maryborough. It was registered in November 2022 and covers 110.44 hectares.

Avoided Clearing of Native Regrowth projects involve protecting native forest that has previously been cleared and for which a valid clearing permit exists. The standard requirements for this methodology dictate that the proponent must surrender or voluntarily not use their legal clearing rights, thereby allowing the native regrowth to remain and avoiding the greenhouse gas emissions associated with deforestation.

The Fraser Coast and Maryborough area is widely known for cattle grazing, sugarcane farming, and timber forestry operations. The region experiences a sub-tropical climate with high annual rainfall averaging over 1,100mm. The typical soils in this landscape consist of podzolics, kandosols, and sandy earths that can be prone to seasonal waterlogging.

As an interesting note, the project area was formally varied to amend the listed boundaries in May 2024. Furthermore, a complementary carbon project named the "Hidden Valley SOC project" (Soil Organic Carbon) operates in the same location. Set up by the same original proponent, it focuses on rejuvenating pastures and altering grazing intensity to improve soil health and further increase carbon sequestration on the property.