Yarraville Carbon Project

Yarraville Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Central West region of New South Wales, approximately 50km southwest of Forbes and 60km northeast of West Wyalong. Registered in May 2024, the project covers a substantial area of 2,392.5 hectares. The surrounding region is part of the productive slopes and plains of the Lachlan Valley, an area heavily utilized for mixed farming operations including broadacre cropping (wheat, canola, barley) and livestock grazing.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration methodology, which rewards landholders for increasing carbon stocks in their soil. To participate, projects must undertake a new management activity that materially differs from historical practices. For the Yarraville Carbon Project, the registered activity involves applying nutrients (synthetic or non-synthetic fertiliser) to address material deficiencies in the land. This practice is designed to boost plant growth and root biomass, thereby increasing the flow of organic matter into the soil profile.

The local environment is characterized by a semi-arid to subhumid climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 500-600mm, often slightly winter-dominant. The landscape typically features Red Chromosols and Vertosols (cracking clays), which are common in the grain-growing regions of the NSW slopes. The project proponent, Loam Carbon, is a prominent player in the sector known for developing microbial seed inoculants (fungi) that enhance the soil's ability to store carbon. While the specific registered activity lists nutrient application, Loam Carbon's projects frequently integrate their proprietary "CarbonBuilder" technology alongside improved nutrient management to maximize sequestration outcomes.