McClean Carbon Project

The McClean Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Uralla Shire Council area of the New England Tablelands, approximately 22km south of the city of Armidale, New South Wales. Registered in November 2020 by Agriprove Solutions Pty Ltd, the project covers 402 hectares of agricultural land. The project operates within a region traditionally dominated by grazing, specifically renowned for fine wool production and beef cattle, supported by the cool temperate climate and reliable rainfall of the Northern Tablelands.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. Originally registered under the 2018 measurement-based method, the project was varied in March 2025 to the newer 2021 determination. This methodology credits landholders for sequestering carbon in agricultural soils by implementing new management activities. In this specific case, the project involves altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of grazing, likely employing rotational or time-controlled grazing strategies, to maintain better ground cover and stimulate soil biology. The transition to the 2021 method suggests an intent to utilize the "hybrid" approach, which combines physical soil sampling with modeled estimates to potentially reduce the costs associated with measuring soil carbon changes over time.

Environmentally, the site is situated in a high-rainfall zone relative to inland Australia, with the Armidale/Uralla region typically receiving between 750mm and 800mm annually, often summer-dominant. The soils in this area south of Armidale are complex, often consisting of "trap" soils (sedimentary rocks) and granite, with pockets of basalt. These soil types, when managed with improved grazing techniques that prevent overgrazing and encourage deep rooting, have significant potential for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Agriprove, the proponent, is a leading developer in this sector, widely known for aggregating such projects and utilizing digital tools to streamline compliance and reporting for farmers.