Kelly Carbon Project

Kelly Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located approximately 7km south of Miriam Vale in the Gladstone Region of central Queensland. It was registered in October 2020 and covers an area of 214.39 hectares.

Soil carbon projects under the ACCU scheme aim to increase the amount of carbon stored in agricultural soils by implementing new land management practices. The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021, which provides flexibility by allowing carbon sequestration to be estimated through either direct physical soil sampling or a combination of measurement and advanced modelling.

The Miriam Vale region is traditionally renowned as a cattle-growing area, making beef cattle grazing the primary regional land use. The region features a subtropical climate with a moderately high annual rainfall average of between 1,000mm and 1,170mm, largely concentrated in the summer months. The local environment consists of diverse soils, commonly featuring sodic duplex soils (Sodosols) on undulating hills and coarse-textured soils (Tenosols) on the plains, which broadly support pasture for grazing.

This project aims to increase carbon in the soil within its agricultural system by actively changing grazing patterns. The core project activities involve altering the stocking rate, duration, and intensity of cattle grazing. These management changes are designed to promote better soil vegetation cover, improve overall soil health, and facilitate continuous carbon drawdown into the soil.

An interesting note regarding this project is its legislative progression. Originally registered under the 2018 soil carbon methodology, the project successfully underwent a method variation on July 22, 2025. The proponent, Agriprove Solutions Pty Ltd, transitioned the project to the updated 2021 Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology to take advantage of its updated measurement frameworks.