Cooreel Soil Carbon Project

The Cooreel Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the locality of Wards River, approximately 35 kilometers south of Gloucester and 40 kilometers north of Dungog in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. Registered on March 21, 2024, the project covers an area of roughly 173 hectares. The property sits within the Dungog Shire Council area, a region renowned for its rolling hills, high rainfall, and strong agricultural history, particularly in beef cattle grazing and dairy farming.

Operating under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models), the project aims to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) levels through improved land management. The specific activities involve altering the stocking rate, duration, and intensity of grazing. By optimizing how livestock interact with the pasture, often through rotational or time-controlled grazing, the proponent aims to maintain better ground cover, reduce soil compaction, and stimulate root growth, which in turn drives carbon storage deep into the soil profile.

The local environment is well-suited for this type of carbon farming. The Dungog and Gloucester valleys are characterized by a warm temperate climate with relatively high annual rainfall, conditions that naturally support vigorous pasture growth and microbial activity essential for building soil carbon. The soils in this vicinity are variable but typically include clay loams and alluvial soils in the valleys, grading into shallow dermosols on the ridges. The project proponent, Carbon Fix Pty Limited, maintains a local presence with offices in the Hunter Valley and specializes in projects within these high-rainfall zones, noting that adequate moisture is a critical factor for successful soil carbon sequestration.