Ellison Carbon Project

The Ellison Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the agricultural locality of Kotupna, approximately 15km northwest of Nathalia and 40km north of Shepparton in northern Victoria. Registered on June 1, 2024, the project covers 76.54 hectares of land in the Moira Shire, a region traditionally defined by mixed farming, including dryland cropping, irrigated dairy, and grazing.

Operating under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, this project aims to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks by implementing new land management activities. The primary activity listed for this project is the application of lime or other ameliorants to remediate acid soils. By correcting soil pH, the project seeks to unlock nutrients and improve the biological health of the soil, thereby boosting plant growth and root biomass, which drives the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere into the soil profile.

The local environment in the Kotupna and Nathalia region is characterized by a semi-arid to temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450mm to 500mm. The landscape typically features flat riverine plains with soil types ranging from red-brown earths (Chromosols) to heavy clays (Vertosols). The specific focus on lime application suggests the project area contains soils that have acidified over time, a common issue in the region's lighter-textured loams, which can restrict plant productivity if left untreated.