Castletop Soil Carbon Project

Castletop Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located at "Castletop," a property situated in the foothills of the Nandewar Ranges, approximately 35km east of Narrabri in New South Wales. Registered in May 2025, the project covers nearly 2,200 hectares of the station's total 4,000+ hectare footprint.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits landholders for measurable increases in soil organic carbon stocks. To achieve this, the project involves altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of grazing. This is generally achieved through rotational or time-controlled grazing strategies designed to maximize vegetation cover and allow pastures to recover, thereby drawing more carbon into the soil profile.

The Castletop property is a working sheep and cattle station that borders the Mount Kaputar National Park on three sides. The terrain is diverse, featuring flats along Rocky Creek, open undulating paddocks, and steep volcanic ridges. The area typically sees summer-dominant rainfall, and soils range from alluvial clays on the flats to basalt-derived types on the slopes.

Interestingly, the property also operates as "Bike Territory," a well-known off-road motorcycle tourism destination. Landholder Scott Michell partnered with Atlas Agri Solutions (Atlas Carbon) to assess the viability of the project, utilizing the rugged landscape for both agricultural productivity and carbon abatement.