Wade Carbon Project 1

Wade Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the West Wimmera region of Victoria, approximately 20km southeast of the South Australian hub of Bordertown and near the small Victorian locality of Minimay. Registered in April 2024, the project covers a project area of approximately 169 hectares.

The West Wimmera region is a significant agricultural zone known for a mix of broadacre cropping (wheat and barley) and livestock grazing (sheep and cattle). The climate is generally classified as semi-arid to temperate, characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The local landscape near the South Australian border often features a complex mix of soil types, ranging from the heavy, cracking grey clays (Vertosols) typical of the Wimmera, which are highly fertile but can become waterlogged, to lighter sandy loams (Sodosols) found on rising ground.

Operating under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, this project seeks to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by increasing the stock of organic carbon stored in the soil. The specific management activity listed for this project is the application of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address material nutrient deficiencies. By correcting these deficiencies, the project aims to boost plant growth and root biomass, which in turn draws more carbon from the atmosphere and sequesters it into the soil profile. The project is managed by Agriprove, a leading developer in the sector known for utilizing advanced soil sampling and digital modelling technologies to track carbon gains.