Lachlan Downs Native Forest Protection Project

Lachlan Downs Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located at Lachlan Downs Station, approximately 80km south of Cobar in the western region of New South Wales. It was registered in July 2014 and covers an area of 18,640.52 hectares.

Avoided deforestation projects involve protecting native forest from being logged or cleared, thereby preventing the land from being converted into an agricultural system. To qualify under the Avoided Deforestation 1.1 (2015) methodology, the land must have had a valid clearing permit issued prior to 1 July 2010, ensuring the emissions avoided are genuine and permanent.

The Cobar region is located on the Cobar Peneplain and is traditionally known for pastoralism, including sheep, goat, and cattle grazing, as well as historic copper mining. The environment is classified as semi-arid with low annual rainfall, and the region's soils are typically red earths and clay loams that support semi-wooded scrub and native forest landscapes.

The property is managed as a family farm by the proponents, Dominic and Jillian Prince. Beyond its carbon conservation outcomes, the protected native landscape serves as the backdrop for "The Space," an exclusive wellness, breathwork, and horsemanship retreat run by Jillian Prince on the 50,000-acre property. Supported by project agent Terra Carbon Pty Limited, the project successfully secured a carbon abatement contract and has delivered over 110,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) to the Commonwealth.