Bulgoo Station Native Forest Protection Project

Bulgoo Station Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located approximately 42km south of the major regional hub of Cobar in central New South Wales. Registered in February 2014, the project encompasses a significant area of 20,705 hectares within the broader Bulgoo Station aggregation. The region is predominantly utilized for rangeland grazing, specifically for sheep and goats, with the property historically operating as a diversified pastoral enterprise.

The project operates under the Avoided Deforestation 1.1 methodology. This specific carbon farming method is designed for landholders who hold a valid clearing permit (Invasive Native Scrub Property Vegetation Plan) issued before 1 July 2010. By voluntarily surrendering the right to clear this native forest for agricultural expansion, such as cropping or high-density grazing, the project prevents the release of stored carbon. Instead of conversion, the forest is protected in perpetuity, allowing the landholder to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) while maintaining compatible lower-intensity grazing activities.

Environmentally, the project sits within the Cobar Peneplain bioregion, an area defined by a semi-arid climate and unreliable rainfall averaging approximately 360mm annually. The landscape consists of flat to slightly undulating country featuring red sandy loam soils and red earths. The protected vegetation typically includes communities of mulga, bimble box, white cypress pine, and belah, which are well-adapted to the dry conditions and skeletal soils of the region.

A notable aspect of this project is its integration with commercial livestock operations. In late 2021, the property was sold by the vendor, Peter Yench, to a grazing family from south-eastern NSW, setting a district record at the time. Market reports from the sale highlighted that the station was generating substantial annual revenue combining carbon credit yields with rangeland and farmed goat operations. This demonstrates a successful dual-land-use model where conservation finance supplements traditional agricultural income. The project proponent was updated in 2022 to Bulgoo Pastoral Pty Ltd following these ownership transitions.