Cheyenne Soil Carbon Project

Cheyenne Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 50km east of Walcha in the Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales. The project was registered in November 2016 and covers an area of roughly 758 hectares.

The project currently operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models 2021 methodology. Soil carbon projects of this type involve estimating the amount of carbon stored in agricultural soils using a hybrid approach of direct physical soil measurements combined with predictive computer modeling. To generate carbon credits, proponents must adopt new or materially different land management activities, such as modifying stocking densities, improving pasture quality, or altering fertilizer use.

The Walcha district is positioned on a high-elevation plateau and experiences a cool, sub-humid temperate climate with relatively high and reliable rainfall, typically averaging over 800mm annually. Soils in the region are often highly fertile, being predominantly basalt-derived krasnozems and chocolate soils, making the area well-suited for high-quality grazing. The surrounding regional land use is heavily dominated by multi-generational beef cattle farming and sheep grazing operations.

The Cheyenne property, managed by Nick Blomfield under the Cheyenne Pastoral Partnership, has been an operating beef cattle farm for over a century. The project activities primarily focus on regenerative agriculture, specifically altering the stocking rate, duration, and intensity of grazing. Between 2016 and 2021, paddock numbers were increased from 88 to over 140, while average paddock sizes were reduced from 8.6 hectares to 5.5 hectares to facilitate high-density rotational grazing. Additionally, synthetic superphosphate fertilizers were replaced with chicken manure to improve soil aeration, water-holding capacity, and promote healthy root growth.

Notably, Cheyenne was just the second soil carbon project in New South Wales to be awarded Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), receiving an initial issuance of 12,486 ACCUs in May 2024. By early 2026, the project had generated a total of 28,859 carbon credits following a second major issuance. The project is managed in partnership with carbon service provider CarbonLink. Over its lifetime, the project has also successfully navigated several methodology transitions, varying from the original 2014 soil carbon method to the 2018 method, and finally to the current 2021 method.