Koolawarra 2 Soil Carbon Project

Koolawarra 2 Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Lockhart Shire, approximately 10km northwest of Henty and 60km southwest of Wagga Wagga in the Riverina region of New South Wales. Registered in March 2025, the project covers 337 hectares of agricultural land traditionally used for mixed cropping and grazing.

The project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models (2021) methodology. This framework allows landholders to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks. The methodology uses a hybrid approach that combines physical soil core sampling with predictive modelling to measure carbon gains relative to a baseline.

The local environment is characterized by a temperate climate with an annual rainfall of approximately 550mm. The region's soils are predominantly Red Chromosols, which can often be sodic, meaning they contain high levels of sodium that cause clay dispersion and hardsetting. This soil constraint is the specific focus of the project's management strategy; the proponent is applying gypsum (calcium sulfate) to remediate the sodic soils. By displacing sodium with calcium, the project aims to improve soil structure and water infiltration, thereby boosting biomass production and increasing the soil's capacity to sequester carbon. The project is undertaken by proponent Virginia Leitch in partnership with service provider Precision Pastures Pty Ltd.