Conroy Carbon Project

The Conroy Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration initiative located approximately 10 kilometers west of Bordertown in the Tatiara District of South Australia. Registered on October 8, 2024, the project covers 224.63 hectares of agricultural land. The site sits within the productive "Tatiara" region (an Indigenous term often translated as "Good Country"), which is situated near the South Australian-Victorian border. The land use in this vicinity is typically mixed farming, characterized by a rotation of cropping (wheat, barley, canola, and beans) and livestock grazing (sheep and cattle).

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Organic Carbon methodology (Measurement and Models). This method credits landholders for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks over time compared to a baseline. The process involves an initial baseline measurement of soil carbon levels, followed by the implementation of new land management activities designed to sequester carbon. After a set period (usually several years), the soil is re-measured; if carbon levels have increased, Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) are issued. For this specific project, the registered activity involves applying nutrients in the form of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address material soil deficiencies, a strategy often aimed at stimulating plant growth and soil biology to boost carbon storage.

The environmental conditions in the Tatiara District are classified as Mediterranean to semi-arid, with a winter-dominant rainfall averaging between 450mm and 550mm annually. The soils in this specific area west of Bordertown are typically Calcarosols (calcareous sandy loams) or texture-contrast soils consisting of sandy loam topsoils over clay subsoils. These soils are generally fertile and responsive to nutrient management, making them suitable candidates for soil carbon projects that rely on increased biomass production to sequester carbon.

Agriprove Solutions Co No.2 Pty Ltd serves as the proponent for this project. Agriprove is a prominent developer in the Australian soil carbon sector, known for partnering with landholders to manage the complex administrative and measurement requirements of the ACCU scheme. Their model frequently focuses on "soil remediation," utilizing specific agronomic advice to correct nutrient imbalances and improve soil health, thereby enhancing both farm productivity and carbon sequestration potential.