Carbon & Biodiversity Project R1-1214 - Voyager Estate

Carbon & Biodiversity Project R1-1214 - Voyager Estate is an environmental planting project located in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, approximately 7 kilometers south-west of the Margaret River township. Registered in February 2023, the project covers a relatively small area of roughly 22 hectares on the Voyager Estate property. The surrounding region is world-renowned for viticulture and tourism, characterized by rolling vineyards, remnant native forest, and agricultural grazing land.

This project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology, which involves establishing permanent native trees on land previously cleared for agriculture. As indicated by the "R1" designation, this initiative is part of the Australian Government's Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot (Round 1), which rewards farmers for increasing biodiversity alongside carbon sequestration. To meet these standards, the planting must typically include a diverse mix of local native species, in this case, over 30 different species such as Marri, Jarrah, and Banksia were seeded, managed to achieve forest cover density and provide habitat for local fauna.

The Margaret River region enjoys a Mediterranean climate with a strong maritime influence, featuring warm, dry summers and high winter rainfall that averages around 1,000mm annually. The soils in this specific locality, often referred to as Forest Grove soils, are ancient and typically consist of ironstone gravels and sandy loams over a clay subsoil. These free-draining yet moisture-retentive soils are highly prized for premium wine production but also support vigorous native vegetation growth.

Voyager Estate has a long history of environmental stewardship, having been carbon neutral in its operations since 2017 through offsetting and achieving full organic certification for its vineyards in 2023. This specific project represents an "in-setting" strategy, allowing the winery to generate its own Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) on-site rather than purchasing offsets externally. The estate is also a member of the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) and views this revegetation as a critical step toward its Net Zero by 2050 commitment.