Cuyuac Carbon Project

Cuyuac Carbon Project is a plantation forestry project located at the "Cuyuac" property near Nareen, approximately 22km northeast of Casterton in western Victoria. It was registered in March 2024 and currently covers 157.10 hectares, following a project area variation in November 2024 that added new land to the project.

The Plantation Forestry methodology allows for carbon abatement by establishing new plantation forests, converting short-rotation to long-rotation plantations, or preventing the conversion of existing plantations to non-forest land. Projects under this method must adhere to standard commercial forestry requirements, including maintaining appropriate tree stocking densities and undertaking scheduled management practices such as thinning, harvesting, and replanting.

The Nareen and Casterton region is predominantly known for broadacre pastoral operations, specifically sheep and cattle grazing, as well as commercial timber plantations. The environment is situated in a reliable medium-to-high rainfall zone, typically receiving around 750mm of rain annually. The local landscape features a mix of sandy loam and deep red soils that are highly characteristic of Victorian red gum country.

This specific project sequesters carbon by continuing to manage an existing plantation forest for commercial harvesting of wood products, directly avoiding its conversion into non-forested agricultural land. The proponent, Andrew Edgar (as Trustee for the Knockfin Trust), alongside his family, is highly regarded in the district for running high-performance composite sheep flocks, lamb feedlotting, and cattle. Historically, the Edgar family has purchased ex-forestry land in the area to develop back into productive grazing country; however, this project highlights a balanced farm management approach by intentionally retaining and maintaining 157 hectares of the existing plantation.