Mt Schanck Station Soil Carbon Project

Mt Schanck Station Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration initiative located at Mt Schanck Station, approximately 15 kilometers south of Mount Gambier in South Australia's Limestone Coast region. Registered in June 2025, the project encompasses a significant area of 4,121 hectares. The property is a flagship aggregation for the proponent, Thomas Foods International, and is primarily utilized for intensive grazing, running thousands of Angus cattle and composite sheep, alongside irrigated fodder production.

The project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models (2021) methodology. This method requires land managers to implement new or materially different farming activities, such as pasture rejuvenation or nutrient management, to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil. To generate credits (ACCUs), the proponent must demonstrate an increase in soil carbon stocks relative to a baseline, verified through a rigorous cycle of soil sampling and modeling.

The Mt Schanck environment is characterized by its fertile volcanic soils, derived from the nearby dormant Mount Schank volcano, and a high-rainfall climate receiving approximately 700mm annually. These conditions are ideal for the project's specific activities, which include re-establishing pastures with perennial species and applying targeted synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies. As part of a broader sustainability strategy by Thomas Foods International, Australia’s largest family-owned meat processor, this project serves as a demonstration pilot in collaboration with the South Australian government (PIRSA) to prove the viability of carbon farming in high-production livestock systems.