Goodman Soil Carbon Project

Goodman Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located near the hinterland village of Bellbrook, approximately 43km inland from Kempsey in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales. It was registered in July 2023 and covers an area of 435.92 ha.

Soil carbon projects operating under the Measurement and Models (2021) methodology involve building soil organic carbon by changing agricultural land management practices. Standard requirements dictate that proponents must introduce at least one new or materially different eligible activity, such as altered grazing, pasture rejuvenation, or specific nutrient application, and measure the resulting carbon sequestration through baseline soil sampling and subsequent testing or approved models.

The Bellbrook and broader Kempsey region is known for rural agricultural land use, predominantly livestock grazing, cattle farming, and forestry operations situated along the Macleay River catchment. The area is classified as a moderate to high rainfall zone with a humid, subtropical climate. Soils in this coastal hinterland are typically a mix of chromosols, kurosols, and alluvial clays which can benefit heavily from fertility management.

This project was established to increase carbon within the agricultural soil system by applying nutrients to the land in the form of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address a material deficiency. Additionally, the proponent, Goodman Pastoral Pty Ltd, has engaged Australian Soil Management Pty Ltd as the project agent to manage this initiative under a nominated 25-year permanence period.