Oakleigh Native Forest Protection Project

Oakleigh Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located in the Brewarrina local government area, approximately 40km southwest of the town of Brewarrina in New South Wales. It was registered in May 2014 and covers an area of 10,542.70ha.

Avoided deforestation projects involve protecting native forests from being permanently cleared and converted to agricultural systems. To be eligible under this methodology, the land must have been issued a valid clearing permit prior to 1 July 2010.

The Brewarrina region is widely known for sheep and cattle grazing operations on expansive pastoral leases. The area experiences a semi-arid climate with low and highly variable rainfall, and the regional soils are primarily characterized by claypan Vertosols along the floodplains, alongside Red Chromosols and Calcarosols.

This project was originally registered under the 2013 avoided deforestation methodology before being varied to the 2015 methodology determination in January 2017. Run by proponents Marie Therese Newton and Robert Lindsay Newton, with Select Carbon Pty Ltd acting as their agent, the project has actively and successfully delivered carbon abatement to the Commonwealth. It has completed multiple Carbon Abatement Contracts, most notably fulfilling a fixed delivery obligation of 21,000 ACCUs under a December 2017 auction contract that was finalized in March 2020.