SFA NBS 400 Bengworden

SFA NBS 400 Bengworden is a plantation forestry project located in the locality of Bengworden, approximately 25 kilometers southwest of the major regional centre of Bairnsdale in East Gippsland, Victoria. Registered in December 2025, the project covers a significant area of 801.58 hectares. The surrounding region is traditionally characterized by broadacre agriculture, particularly grazing and cropping, interspersed with areas of dedicated forestry.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. Unlike environmental plantings which are designed for permanent conservation, this methodology involves establishing a new plantation forest specifically for commercial harvesting. The project activities involve planting commercial timber species, likely softwood pine given the proponent's background, which will sequester carbon during their growth cycle before being harvested for wood products.

The Bengworden region typically experiences a temperate climate with an average annual rainfall between 500mm and 700mm. The soil profile in this part of Gippsland generally consists of texture-contrast soils, often featuring sandy loams overlying clay subsoils, which are suitable for both pasture and forestry operations.

The proponent, SFA Nature Based Solutions (a subsidiary of Sumitomo Forestry Australia), has established this project as part of a broader initiative to produce renewable timber for the housing construction sector while generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). The operation is part of a larger investment in the region aiming to supply timber for thousands of new homes while capturing significant carbon emissions.