Cheyenne Soil Carbon Project

The Cheyenne Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration initiative located approximately 40 kilometers northeast of Walcha in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. Registered in November 2016 and covering roughly 758 hectares, the project operates on the "Cheyenne" property, a multi-generational beef cattle station situated near the edge of the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and the Macleay Gorge. The region is characterized by high rainfall and cool temperate conditions, with land use predominantly focused on high-performance grazing and fine wool production.

The project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models (2021) methodology. This method awards carbon credits (ACCUs) for measured increases in soil organic carbon stocks resulting from new management activities. The Cheyenne project specifically employs intensive rotational grazing (cell grazing) to stimulate plant growth and root depth. According to public reports, the proponents, the Blomfield family, increased paddock numbers from 88 to over 140 and reduced average paddock sizes significantly to increase stock density and rest periods. They also replaced synthetic superphosphate with organic fertilizers (chicken manure) to improve soil aeration and water-holding capacity.

Notably, the Cheyenne Soil Carbon Project is a high-profile success story within the Australian carbon market. It was reported as the second soil carbon project in New South Wales to successfully generate ACCUs, having been awarded over 12,000 credits following a variation from the original 2014 method to the more modern 2021 determination. The project is managed in partnership with Carbon Link and demonstrates how long-term regenerative agriculture practices can yield verified carbon abatement alongside cattle production.