Lakes Creek Road Landfill Gas Project (Revoked)

The Lakes Creek Road Landfill Gas Project (Revoked) was a landfill gas capture operation located at the Lakes Creek Road Waste Management Facility, approximately 6 kilometers east of the Rockhampton CBD in Queensland. Originally registered in December 2016 by the Rockhampton Regional Council, the project was situated in the suburb of The Common, near the Fitzroy River floodplain. The surrounding region of Rockhampton is a major agricultural hub, famously known as the "Beef Capital of Australia," with land use dominated by cattle grazing and tropical agriculture.

The project operated under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology credits the destruction of methane, a potent greenhouse gas generated by decomposing organic waste in landfills. By installing a collection system of wells and pipes, the project captured this gas and combusted it (typically via a flare), converting the methane into carbon dioxide, which has a significantly lower global warming potential.

Environmental conditions in the Rockhampton region are subtropical, characterized by distinct wet summers and dry winters with an average annual rainfall of approximately 800mm. The soil composition in the area, particularly on the floodplain where the facility is located, typically consists of heavy cracking clays (Vertosols) and alluvial soils, which are significant for managing leachate and gas containment in landfill engineering.

While this specific project (ERF106224) was revoked on June 22, 2020, under Section 30 of the CFI Rule, this was a strategic administrative move rather than a cessation of activity. Records indicate that just two days later, on June 24, 2020, the project was re-registered as the "Rockhampton Landfill Gas Project" (ERF157317) with LMS Energy Pty Ltd as the new proponent. The Council partnered with LMS Energy to upgrade the site, installing an industry-leading biogas flare and exploring future options for a renewable energy facility to generate baseload electricity for the grid. The facility itself has also undergone a "piggyback" expansion to extend its operational life to 2042, featuring a green buffer of over 2,400 native trees to screen the site from the road.