Cairns Carbon Project 1

Cairns Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon project located in the Mid North region of South Australia, approximately 25km east of the regional city of Port Pirie. Registered in January 2024, the project covers an area of roughly 185 hectares within the Northern Areas Council local government area. The site is situated in a region heavily utilized for primary production, specifically mixed farming operations that combine broadacre cropping (such as wheat and barley) with livestock grazing. It is important to note that despite the project name "Cairns," the property is firmly located in South Australia, not the tropical city of Cairns in Queensland.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models). This method credits landholders for sequestering carbon in agricultural soils through changes in management practices. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the project proponent must demonstrate a measured increase in soil organic carbon stocks over time compared to a baseline.

Environmentally, the Mid North region typically experiences a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average annual rainfall in the surrounding areas (such as Crystal Brook and Jamestown) generally ranges between 400mm and 500mm. The landscape is characterized by red-brown earths and calcareous loams, which are fertile but can be susceptible to wind erosion if ground cover is not maintained.

To drive carbon sequestration, this specific project has registered three key management activities: applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, converting from intensive tillage to reduced or no-tillage practices, and retaining crop stubble after harvest. These activities are designed to minimize soil disturbance and increase organic matter input, thereby improving soil health and carbon storage. The project is managed by AgriProve Solutions, a prominent developer in the Australian soil carbon sector.