SA Hawick Soil Carbon

SA Hawick Soil Carbon is a soil carbon project located at the Hawick property in Shaugh, approximately 60km northeast of Keith and 50km north of Bordertown in South Australia's Southern Mallee region. It was registered in October 2024 and initially covered 5,055.05ha, though a project variation in August 2025 removed some of the originally listed areas.

Soil carbon projects operating under the 2021 Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology involve increasing the amount of carbon stored in agricultural soils by introducing new, eligible land management activities. Standard requirements mandate that proponents must establish a baseline and undergo regular physical soil sampling or laboratory modelling to verify the increases in organic carbon over time before any credits can be issued.

The Shaugh area is primarily known for mixed farming, incorporating both cropping and livestock grazing operations. The environment is considered semi-arid with a low average annual rainfall of approximately 350mm. The local soil types are predominantly deep sands with naturally low clay and organic matter content, which leaves them vulnerable to wind erosion and non-wetting issues if ground cover is not maintained.

This project aims to increase carbon in the agricultural system by applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilisers to address material soil deficiencies, planting cover crops to promote vegetation, and using mechanical means to redistribute the soil profile. Interestingly, the Hawick property was featured as a Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) Growing Carbon Farming case study. Proponents RegenCo and FarmLab worked with the landowner to conduct deep "clay delving", which involved extracting clay from over two metres deep and spreading it across the sandy topsoil to boost moisture retention and farm productivity. Additionally, the property adjoins the Ngarkat Conservation Park, meaning the project's focus on maintaining steady ground cover serves as a vital buffering and connecting habitat for threatened native bird species.