Moolan Downs Soil Carbon Project

Moolan Downs Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located at the Moolan Downs aggregation in the Western Downs region of Queensland, approximately 160km south-west of Dalby and 200km south-east of Roma. It was registered in September 2022 and covers a project area of 8,856.55 ha.

Soil carbon projects under the Measurement and Models methodology involve establishing baseline soil carbon levels and introducing new, eligible agricultural management practices to the land. Any subsequent increase in soil organic carbon is then physically measured and modelled over time to generate carbon credits. For this project, the specific activities involve altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of grazing to promote vegetative cover and improve overall soil health.

The Western Downs area is a premium agricultural region known for extensive cattle grazing, backgrounding operations, and mixed cropping. The region typically experiences a semi-arid to subtropical climate with reliable summer-dominant rainfall, and the landscape is characterised by highly productive, clay-based soils that are ideal for rotational grazing.

Interestingly, this property was initially acquired in 2022 by Packhorse Pastoral Company to implement a regenerative "Grass Motel" cattle model, which involves hosting third-party cattle to naturally fertilise and re-seed the land rather than directly owning the herd. Following the tragic death of Packhorse's founder in a plane crash, the property was put to market and sold in mid-2023. It was acquired by Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting Group (via Hancock Agriculture) as part of an estimated $80 million multi-property deal. This acquisition aligns with the recent June 2024 project proponent variation, changing the registered party from Packhorse Pastoral Land Pty Ltd to Valley River Holdings Pty Ltd.