Yarrandabbie Soil Carbon Project (Revoked)

Yarrandabbie Soil Carbon Project (Revoked) was a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 30 kilometers north of Barraba in the Gwydir Shire of New South Wales. Registered in September 2024, the project covered a substantial area of 4,457 hectares. It was voluntarily revoked in April 2025 under Section 30 of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015, meaning the proponents elected to withdraw the project from the scheme. The land is held by McAg Farms Pty Ltd, a family-owned entity that manages the Yarrandabbie property as well as neighbouring aggregations like Mt Erin.

The project operated under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits landholders for measurable increases in soil organic carbon (SOC). Under this protocol, proponents must sample soil to establish a baseline, implement new management activities to sequester carbon, and re-sample over time to verify the increase. The specific activities nominated for Yarrandabbie included altering stocking rates to improve vegetation cover, applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, and applying gypsum to remediate sodic soils.

Regionally, the North West Slopes area around Barraba is characterized by a warm temperate climate with a summer-dominant rainfall pattern, averaging approximately 687mm annually. The terrain is described as undulating to hilly, featuring a mix of open grazing country, cultivation paddocks, and timbered scrub. The soil profile in this region often includes vertosols and chromosols, though the project's specific inclusion of gypsum application suggests the presence of sodic or magnesic soil constraints which inhibit water infiltration and root growth.

Beyond its agricultural operations, the property functions as a farm-stay and hunting tourism destination. "Hunting NSW" lists Yarrandabbie as a venue for hunting feral animals such as pigs, deer, and foxes, offering accommodation for visitors. The project proponent, Atlas Agri Solutions (trading as Atlas Carbon), specializes in integrating carbon farming with grazing management, although this specific project was cancelled relatively early in its lifecycle.