Whittonbri Soil Carbon Project

Whittonbri Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 25km from the town of Coonamble in the Central West region of New South Wales. Registered in October 2025, the project covers a substantial area of 1,831 hectares. The property, known as "Whittonbri," is a mixed-farming operation traditionally utilized for cattle grazing and wheat cropping.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits landholders for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks over time. This method requires the measurement of baseline carbon levels, the implementation of "new or materially different" management activities, and subsequent rounds of soil sampling to verify sequestration. To achieve this, the Whittonbri project activities include altering grazing intensity to improve ground cover, rejuvenating pastures via seeding or pasture cropping, and applying gypsum.

Geographically, the Coonamble region is situated on the edge of the North West Plains, characterized by a semi-arid climate with summer-dominant rainfall. The soil landscape is dominated by Vertosols (cracking clays), which are highly fertile but often prone to sodicity, a structural issue where sodium causes soil dispersion and crusting. The project's specific inclusion of gypsum application is a targeted strategy to remediate these sodic or magnesic soils, thereby improving water infiltration and biomass production, which are critical drivers for soil carbon sequestration.

The project proponent, Atlas Agri Solutions (trading as Atlas Carbon), specializes in data-driven grazing management and soil carbon development. An interesting facet of the property is its diversification into agritourism; the station hosts "Whittonbri Cottage," a pioneer-style farmstay that offers visitors insight into the region's agricultural heritage and "big sky" landscape.