'Western Treefarm Project WTP1C - Farleigh

Western Treefarm Project WTP1C - Farleigh is a plantation forestry project located approximately 25km southeast of Boyup Brook in the South West region of Western Australia. It was officially registered under the ACCU scheme on July 22, 2026. While the exact project area size is not specified on the public register, data from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) Round 2 Support Plantation Establishment program shows the proponent recently received grant funding for 260.5 hectares of softwood plantation in Western Australia, which is likely associated with this development.

Plantation forestry methodology projects involve establishing new plantation forests or converting existing short-rotation plantations into long-rotation ones. Standard requirements include planting and maintaining trees at a commercially viable stocking density to achieve a closed forest canopy, with the primary objective being the commercial harvesting of wood products. This methodology sequesters carbon both in the growing forest biomass and in the long-term harvested wood products.

The Boyup Brook area is a prominent agricultural district heavily utilised for sheep and cattle grazing, broadacre cropping, and commercial timber forestry. The region experiences a Mediterranean climate characterised by moderate to high winter rainfall, while the soils are typically composed of lateritic ironstone gravels, sandy loams, and clay loams.

The project proponent, Mitsui & Co. Wood Resources Oceania Pty Ltd, is a major player in the Australian forestry supply chain, operating multiple tree farms and generating revenue by exporting hardwood and softwood woodchips to Asian markets. As part of their project activities, they are converting an existing short-rotation plantation to a long-rotation forest, as well as establishing new plantation areas for commercial harvesting. The inclusion of "Farleigh" in the project name likely pays homage to the local Farleigh family, who hold historical significance in the Boyup Brook area; Eric Farleigh famously donated the 650-hectare Rylington Park to the local Shire in 1985 for ongoing agricultural research and community benefit.