When adding a UsdCreateComponent in a /obj/geo1/ context what is the correct way of getting it into a specific LOP network? I see when an UsdCreateComponent is setup in a /stage/SopCreate context it's added into the 'parent' USD stage automatically.

But when setup in an /obj/geo1 context there is obviously no parent stage to put it on, the docs are a bit light on details about all of this, but should I simply be using a 'SOP Import' and point it to the UsdCreateComponent to get the component onto a stage?

Yeah you use a SOP import to get the geometry into LOPs. The new nodes are just working to improve the UX for structuring scenes in SOPs before they end up in USD.