Bellview and Pitlochry Soil Carbon Project

The Bellview and Pitlochry Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration initiative located in the locality of Matheson, approximately 35 kilometers southeast of Inverell and 25 kilometers west of Glen Innes in the New England region of New South Wales. Registered on December 13, 2024, the project covers an area of 1,163.45 hectares across the "Bellview" and "Pitlochry" properties. The region is primarily utilized for grazing and mixed farming, benefiting from the fertile but variable soils of the Northern Tablelands.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon (Measurement and Models) methodology, which rewards landholders for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) levels over time. To achieve this, the proponents (Atlas Agri Solutions and the Sides family) are implementing a suite of land management changes including altering stocking rates to improve vegetation cover, establishing permanent pastures on previously cropped or fallow land, and applying gypsum. The specific mention of gypsum application suggests the presence of sodic or magnesic soils (often classified as Sodosols or texture-contrast Chromosols), which are common in the region and can benefit significantly from structural remediation to unlock productivity and carbon storage potential.

Environmentally, the Matheson area experiences a temperate climate with summer-dominant rainfall, averaging approximately 750–850mm annually. The local terrain typically consists of trap rock or granite-derived soils, alongside pockets of richer basaltic clays (Vertosols) characteristic of the Inverell district. Property records indicate that "Pitlochry" (311 Pitlochry Road) changed ownership in May 2022 for roughly $3.85 million, shortly before the project's development phase. A variation noted in August 2025 indicates that some initial areas were removed from the project, likely following detailed soil mapping or baseline stratification.