Waterhole Soil Carbon Project

Waterhole Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located in the Port Macquarie-Hastings region, approximately 40km northwest of Port Macquarie in New South Wales. It was registered in January 2025 and covers an area of 63.58 hectares.

The project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models (2021) methodology. Soil carbon projects involve implementing new or materially different agricultural management practices to increase the amount of organic carbon stored in the soil. These increases are subsequently verified and credited through physical soil sampling, or a combination of sampling and modelling over the project's lifetime.

The surrounding region is renowned for cattle grazing, dairy farming, and commercial forestry operations. The environment is classified as a high-rainfall climate, with the broader Port Macquarie area typically receiving over 1,500mm of rain annually. Local soils generally consist of ferrosols and kurosols, which are often prone to acidity or low organic carbon levels due to historical agricultural degradation. High moisture levels in this region make it highly suitable for building soil carbon, as adequate rainfall naturally supports vigorous pasture growth and microbial activity.

To improve soil health and actively increase carbon sequestration, the project involves altering the stocking rate, duration, and intensity of grazing. By optimising how livestock interact with the pasture, the project promotes deeper root growth and better soil vegetation cover. Additionally, the proponent will apply lime and other ameliorants to remediate acid soils, as well as apply gypsum to manage sodic or magnesic soils across the property.

An interesting note is that the proponent, Carbon Fix Pty Limited, maintains a strong portfolio of carbon projects across high-rainfall zones in New South Wales. They specialize in leveraging regions with adequate moisture, which is a critical factor for successful soil carbon sequestration and permanent environmental planting.