Hidden Valley SOC project

The Hidden Valley SOC project is a soil carbon agricultural project located in the Fraser Coast region of Queensland, approximately 20km southeast of Biggenden and 60km west of Maryborough. Registered in November 2022, the project covers 106.25 hectares of grazing land. The project operates on land defined by Lot/Plan numbers 1061/SPL37589 and 45/SPLX1015, situated in the undulating rural landscape between the Woocoo and Dallarnil districts.

The project employs the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which rewards landholders for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks over a 25-year permanent period. To achieve this, the project involves altering stocking rates to improve vegetation cover, rejuvenating pastures through seeding or pasture cropping, and introducing legume species to improve soil nitrogen naturally. These activities are designed to build carbon in the soil profile while simultaneously enhancing the productivity of the grazing enterprise.

Environmentally, the region experiences a subtropical climate with summer-dominant rainfall, averaging between 750mm and 900mm annually, benefiting from its proximity to the coast relative to inland agricultural zones. The soils in this area are variable, likely consisting of Dermosols (structured loams) or Ferrosols (red clay loams) often associated with the "Biggenden Beds" geological formation, which are generally well-suited to pasture improvement provided they are managed to prevent acidification.

An interesting administrative detail is the project's transfer of proponent status in April 2024. Originally registered under the landowner, FJD Family Pty Ltd (Trustee for FJD Family Trust), the project responsibility was transferred to Agriprove Solutions Co No.2 Pty Ltd. Agriprove is a prominent Carbon Service Provider (aggregator), suggesting the landholder has opted for a "partnered" model where the aggregator manages the complex compliance and reporting obligations of the ACCU scheme.