McLachlan Carbon Project

The McLachlan Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration initiative located in the locality of Marshdale (near Ward's River), approximately 25 kilometers north of Dungog in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. Registered in January 2021, the project encompasses a project area of 93.88 hectares. The surrounding region is characterized by rolling hills and is predominantly utilized for beef cattle grazing and mixed farming. The area falls within a high rainfall zone, receiving an average of approximately 1,114mm annually, and features soil types that include Chromosols and Kurosols, clay-rich soils that are responsive to pasture improvement but require careful management to prevent acidification.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology rewards landholders for increasing soil organic carbon levels through changes in land management. Unlike earlier iterations that relied solely on physical soil sampling, the 2021 method allows for a hybrid approach using both physical measurements and modeled estimates to calculate carbon stocks, potentially reducing the cost of verifying credits over time. The project specifically focuses on altering stocking rates and grazing intensity, alongside rejuvenating pastures with multi-species seed mixes to boost soil health and vegetation cover.

Notably, the McLachlan Carbon Project, operating on "Rocking Chair Farm", achieved a significant milestone in September 2023 by becoming the first soil carbon project in New South Wales to be issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). The project successfully sequestered carbon by transitioning from conventional grazing to a rotational system and implementing multi-species pastures, which allowed the farm to reduce synthetic fertilizer use by 85%. It also serves as a demonstration site in partnership with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) to showcase how soil carbon projects can help red meat enterprises move beyond net-zero carbon intensity.