Mundarlo Pastoral Soil Carbon Project

The Mundarlo Pastoral Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located on the historic "Mundarlo" station, situated on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River approximately 50km east of Wagga Wagga and near the town of Gundagai in New South Wales. Registered in January 2024, the project covers 1,452 hectares of the broader property, which is owned and managed by Nick and Deanna Austin. The region is part of the South West Slopes and Riverina area, a hub for mixed farming, though the Mundarlo property has transitioned specifically to a grazing operation focusing on beef cattle and sheep trading.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits landholders for measurable increases in soil organic carbon (SOC). To achieve this, the proponents are altering their grazing strategies, specifically employing "Holistic Management" principles. This involves running a combined mob of sheep and cattle, referred to by the owners as a "flerd", in high-density, short-duration rotations. This technique is designed to increase ground cover, allow for longer pasture recovery periods, and stimulate biological activity in the soil, thereby sequestering carbon.

Environmentally, the Mundarlo property sits in a temperate zone with an average annual rainfall of approximately 570mm. The landscape features a mix of alluvial river flats and rolling granite hills. According to case studies conducted on the property, the soil profile is diverse, consisting of Kandosols, Kurosols, Sodosols, and alluvial Rudosols. These soil types are generally conducive to pasture improvement but require careful management to prevent acidification or structure decline, which the project's regenerative practices aim to address.

An interesting facet of this project is the background of the proponent, Nick Austin, a former mechanical engineer who returned to the family farm and shifted its focus from conventional inputs to regenerative systems following the Millennium Drought. The property has been featured as a "Soils for Life" case study, highlighting its transition from a high-input mixed farm to a resilient, low-input grazing enterprise. The project is supported by Carbon Link, a leading developer in the Australian soil carbon space known for managing large-scale longitudinal soil studies.