CFOP Online Course Topic 5: The Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme

Topic 5 tackles the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme - what it is, why trust matters, and how carbon farming can build resilience, improve soils, support biodiversity and potentially create income opportunities for farming businesses.
Home 🞂 Newsroom 🞂 CFOP Online Course Topic 5: The Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme

This is it. This is the version of “carbon farming” many people might first think of when they hear the term; and that some people simply do not trust.

That mistrust is not entirely displaced; there can be an element of green washing attached to any scheme where environmental outcomes are monetised. And, as in all sectors of the economy, there are also unscrupulous operators who may promise the world and deliver significantly less.

As we have learned, this Scheme is only one form of carbon farming, and it is only one market. However, the Australian carbon credit system is also one of the longest-standing systems of its kind in the world, and there’s no sign it’s going away any time soon; so it is worth knowing how it works and whether to explore it further as part of your farming business operations.

So, welcome to the final part of our Carbon Farming Outreach Program training package series; sharing DAFF’s free online training has been about helping you consider how carbon farming can work for you.

Before you delve into this topic, it’s worth remembering that the potential financial benefit from engaging in the ACCU Scheme is not the only possible gain.

Dr Phillip Ireland has a PhD in climate change adaptation and has been working in the field for more than 20 years. He says there’s compelling reasons to explore building and retaining more carbon into your farming system.

“We know increased soil organic carbon can increase water retention and water holding capacity of soils for times of drought. We know that trees and windbreaks can protect livestock from inclement weather, and we know the weather may become more windy and more unpredictable into the future. So you’re making your property more resilient and adapted,” says Dr Ireland.

Additionally, the potential for our agricultural landscapes to right some of the wrongs created by our industrialised world might also be a source of inspiration:

“One of the really interesting facts that has come out recently is that if we were to take all of the world’s agricultural soils, and increase soil organic carbon by one percent in one metre of those soils, we would draw almost half of the historical emissions of our species out of the atmosphere.”

Hear more of Dr Ireland’s insights by watching this interview about vegetation and carbon credits.

Video: Vegetation and carbon credits: Expert interview with Philip Ireland

To learn more about the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme, why not dive into Topic 5 now? You may also like to check out the guidance that WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides on the ACCU Scheme:


Further handy resources for you to help you unpack this final instalment of the Carbon Farming Outreach Program online course are below:


The Future Farm Foundations project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

Yvette Hollings - Sustainable Agriculture Project Officer

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.