Our History
Returning carbon to rural Australia
2006
Outback Carbon’s story commenced in 2006, when the brand and concept of returning carbon capital to rural Australian landscapes came together within an environmental services and management company founded by Harley Lacy.
Outback Carbon worked with scientists and industry investigating and conducting carbon opportunity evaluations across the WA landscape and was contracted to work on carbon methodologies. At the same time Kent Broad co-founded a carbon company that was responsible for establishing almost 13,000 hectares of biodiverse carbon plantings in the Mid-West region of WA. Kent was involved in establishing the first Gold Standard project in Australia. Kent and Harley are descendants of pioneer families and lived, worked on and owned farming and grazing businesses.
2018
In September 2018 Outback Carbon was incorporated and became reinvigorated with Kent Broad joining Harley and encouraging development, followed soon by Kelly Pang.
Outback Carbon established and registered a small environmental plantings project, North of the Stirling Ranges in the South West of Western Australia. This high quality and value project was a joint venture between the land owner and Outback Carbon and has helped create nature corridors between remnant vegetation areas. Up to 60 endemic species have been successfully established.
2021
In 2021 Outback Carbon was acquired by Mitsui E&P Australia (MEPAU) as part of its Carbon Solution Business.
MEPAU was delighted to welcome Harley Lacy, Kent Broad and Kelly Pang to the MEPAU family. Innovation and collaboration are some of Mitsui’s founding company values and also some of Outback Carbon’s founding values. This has allowed development of different perspective and ways of doing things in areas of the wheatbelt of WA for bio-sequestration (permanently storing carbon in the above and below ground biomass and soil). Outback Carbon has used this approach as a catalyst not only to restore carbon but to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems and landscapes and enable a sustainable and healthy environment for fibre production, people, flora and fauna throughout rural Australia and beyond.
2025
There are currently 7 registered projects with the Clean Energy Regulator and additional projects for 2025 and beyond in the planning phase. All registered projects are located in the Wheatbelt and Mid West regions of Western Australia.
Outback Carbon have always taken pride on working with local communities, and encouraging local businesses to get involved. The activities of Outback Carbon are not only directed to environmental outcomes, but importantly help improve the quality and sustainability of life for rural communities.
The Outback Carbon team have grown and comprise diverse skill sets such as forestry, botany, land restoration, farming & agriculture, project execution & delivery, business & commercial, geospatial and data analysis.