Blue Heart Sunshine Coast Blue Carbon Pilot Project

Blue Heart Sunshine Coast Blue Carbon Pilot Project is a tidal restoration project located on the Maroochy River floodplain, approximately 15km north of Maroochydore in Queensland. Registered in June 2024, the project covers roughly 162 hectares within the broader "Blue Heart" corridor, a regionally significant area formerly used for sugar cane farming. As rising sea levels and tidal inundation have rendered much of this low-lying agricultural land saline and less viable for cropping, the region is transitioning toward conservation and flood storage.

The project operates under the Tidal Restoration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems methodology. This involves removing or modifying physical barriers, such as bund walls, floodgates, or levees, to reintroduce tidal flows to the landscape. By restoring the natural hydrological regime, the project aims to facilitate the return of coastal wetland ecosystems, such as mangroves and saltmarshes. These ecosystems are highly effective at sequestering carbon in both their biomass and the sediment (soil) beneath them, often at rates significantly higher than terrestrial forests.

Environmentally, the Sunshine Coast region experiences a subtropical climate with high rainfall, typically exceeding 1200mm annually. The soils in the project area are predominantly alluvial clays and marine sediments. A critical management aspect for projects in this location is the handling of Potential Acid Sulfate Soils (PASS), which are common in these coastal lowlands and must be kept wet or carefully managed to prevent acidification. This pilot is part of a wider partnership between the Sunshine Coast Council, Unitywater, and the Queensland Government, aiming to demonstrate how blue carbon projects can deliver co-benefits like improved water quality, flood mitigation, and biodiversity protection.