Nangwarry Station Healthy Soils Project

Nangwarry Station Healthy Soils Project is a soil carbon project located roughly 5km southeast of the township of Nangwarry and approximately 30km north of Mount Gambier in South Australia. Registered on September 30, 2024, the project covers a substantial area of 2,477 hectares within the Limestone Coast region. The area is historically part of the "Green Triangle," a region renowned for its mix of pine forestry and pastoral grazing operations.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits landholders for sequestering carbon in agricultural soils. To achieve this, the proponent, Nangwarry Pastoral Company, intends to alter stocking rates and grazing intensity, rejuvenate pastures through seeding or cropping, and utilize mechanical means to redistribute soil. By modifying these management practices, the project aims to increase the Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) levels above a measured baseline, generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for the verified increases.

Environmentally, the Nangwarry region sits within a high rainfall zone, typically receiving between 645mm and 760mm annually. The local landscape, described as the Nangwarry Land System, is characterized by gently undulating plains with deep sandy soils (Podosols) and thick sand over clay (Chromosols). These soils are often naturally acidic and leached, meaning the project’s focus on "healthy soils" likely involves significant remediation or organic matter building to improve fertility and water holding capacity alongside carbon sequestration.

An interesting aspect of this project is the proponent's connection to the prominent McLachlan pastoral family. Nangwarry Pastoral Company is directed by Fergus McLachlan, son of former federal minister Ian McLachlan. The family has extensive agricultural interests, including vineyards and orchards, suggesting this carbon project is part of a broader, diversified agribusiness strategy.