Swartz Carbon Project 4

Swartz Carbon Project 4 is a soil carbon project located near the town of Gogango in the Fitzroy Basin, approximately 65km southwest of Rockhampton, Queensland. Registered in March 2022, the project covers 502.75 hectares and operates under the Carbon Credits (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology allows land managers to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by building soil organic carbon through eligible new or altered land management activities. For this project, standard requirements are met by altering stocking rates, applying nutrients to address material soil deficiencies, and rejuvenating pastures by seeding.

The Gogango region features a sub-tropical climate with summer-dominant rainfall. The local landscape is characteristic of the Brigalow Belt, defined by its cracking clay soils (Vertosols) which are highly suited for the region's primary land use of cattle grazing.

This specific project is part of a broader 11-project aggregation spanning a 4,000-hectare cattle enterprise managed by the Warnock family, who have farmed the area for five generations. To execute the project activities, the operators shifted from traditional set stocking to high-density rotational grazing. This transition was supported by major infrastructure investments, including the installation of 75 kilometers of electric fencing and 56 new water points to facilitate intensive pasture resting periods. By combining this with pasture seeding and nutrient application, the operators have reportedly doubled their stocking rates. Furthermore, Swartz Carbon Project 4 was among the first under the 2021 methodology to rapidly issue credits, generating 6,152 ACCUs within its first two years alongside a companion project, by utilizing a hybrid verification approach that combines physical soil sampling with advanced satellite modeling.