Warriup Project

The Warriup Project is a plantation forestry project located in the Wellstead locale, approximately 60km northeast of the major city of Albany in Western Australia. Registered on February 21, 2024, the project operates on a 198.68-hectare area within the larger 913-hectare Warriup property. The site is situated within the globally recognised Gondwana Link corridor, a significant conservation initiative aimed at reconnecting fragmented habitats between the wet forests of the southwest and the dry woodlands of the interior.

This project utilizes the 'Transitioning to a permanent planting' activity under the Plantation Forestry methodology. This involves converting an existing commercial timber plantation, likely Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus), which is common in the region, into a permanent forest that will not be harvested. By foregoing the clear-felling process, the project avoids emissions associated with harvest and ensures long-term carbon sequestration in the standing trees and debris. This method also requires evidence that the plantation was at risk of conversion to non-forested land (such as pasture) without the project intervention.

The region is characterized by a high-rainfall coastal climate, receiving sufficient precipitation to support dense eucalypt forests. The local terrain typically features sandy duplex soils and ironstone gravels, which are characteristic of the southern agricultural zone of Western Australia. The surrounding land use involves a mix of conservation reserves (such as the Green Range Nature Reserves and Tinkelelup Nature Reserves), broadacre cropping, and livestock grazing.

A notable feature of the Warriup Project is its strong focus on co-benefits beyond carbon abatement. The project is managed in partnership with the Gondwana Link and involves returning the legal land title to the Menang Noongar People to support cultural reconnection and stewardship. Environmentally, the permanent forest protects significant freshwater systems feeding the Warriup Wetlands and provides habitat for threatened species, including the quokka. In March 2025, the project participant structure was varied, transferring the proponent role from the developer, Carbon Neutral Pty Ltd, to Warriup Carbon Pty Ltd as Trustee for the Warriup Carbon Trust.