McCay Carbon Project

McCay Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located near Conondale in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland region of Queensland, approximately 100km northwest of Brisbane. It was registered in July 2020 and covers a project area of 64.81 hectares.

The Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems methodology involves increasing soil organic carbon levels over time by implementing new or materially different agricultural management practices. Standard requirements dictate that a baseline level of soil carbon must be established, and subsequent carbon levels are measured through regular, rigorous soil sampling to calculate sequestration and generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).

The Conondale and Mary Valley region is predominantly known for dairy farming, cattle grazing, forestry, and rural lifestyle properties. The area experiences a subtropical climate and is classified as a high rainfall zone, typically receiving well over 1000mm of rain annually. Soils in this region are generally fertile and vary from alluvial clay loams in the valleys to volcanic or basalt-derived soils on the elevated ranges.

This project aims to increase carbon within the agricultural soil system by specifically altering the stocking rate, duration, and intensity of grazing on the property. In addition, the land managers are undertaking activities to re-establish and rejuvenate the pasture through new seeding. The project is managed by the proponent Agriprove Solutions Pty Ltd and is part of a larger aggregated portfolio that holds an active Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC808228) with the Clean Energy Regulator.