Jumbuck Herd Management Project (Revoked)

The Jumbuck Herd Management Project (Revoked) was a carbon abatement initiative located at Commonwealth Hill Station, approximately 120 kilometers southwest of Coober Pedy and 96 kilometers north-northwest of Tarcoola in the North West Pastoral area of South Australia. Registered in April 2016 and covering an unknown portion of the massive pastoral lease, the project was situated in a region primarily defined by extensive grazing operations. Commonwealth Hill is famously the second-largest sheep station in Australia, spanning roughly one million hectares (10,000 square kilometers), though this project specifically targeted beef cattle operations within that landscape.

The project operated under the Beef Cattle Herd Management methodology, which generates carbon credits by reducing the emissions intensity of cattle production. By implementing management changes, such as improving dietary supplements, genetics, or weaning processes, proponents aim to increase the ratio of weight to age in the herd. This effectively means cattle reach market weight faster or more efficiently, resulting in less methane produced per kilogram of liveweight.

The environment at Commonwealth Hill is classified as arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 175mm. The terrain is characterized by flat sandy plains, dunefields, and low mulga woodlands situated on the northwestern margin of the Gawler Craton. The soil types are predominantly sandy with areas of calcrete and salt lakes. The project was revoked in January 2017 under section 33 of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011, which typically indicates a voluntary notification by the project proponent to cease the project, possibly due to the station's primary focus remaining on sheep rather than cattle or other commercial considerations. Interestingly, the station also lies within the Woomera Test Range Area.