Trilby Native Forest Protection Project

Trilby Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located at Trilby Station, approximately 125km southwest of Bourke near the village of Louth in outback New South Wales. It was registered on 11 November 2014 and covers an expansive 61,213.10 hectares.

Avoided deforestation projects prevent greenhouse gas emissions by protecting native forests from being permanently cleared and the land converted to agricultural systems. Under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative - Avoided Deforestation 1.1) Methodology Determination 2015, the fundamental requirement is that a valid land clearing consent must have been issued for the area prior to 1 July 2010. The project uses allometric equations and biomass surveys applied to tree measurements within the project area to accurately determine the protected carbon stock.

The region surrounding Louth and the Darling River is characterised by a semi-arid climate with low, variable rainfall. The dominant land use in this outback area is extensive pastoralism, specifically the grazing of merino sheep and goats. The soils typically consist of red earths, sandy loams, and alluvial clays along the riverplains.

This project is operated by Elizabeth and Gary Murray, whose family has lived on the banks of the Darling River for seven generations, originally settling there in 1860. The carbon project operates alongside their traditional grazing enterprise at Trilby Station, a sprawling 320,000-acre property that is also a prominent outback tourism destination on the Darling River Run. Interestingly, Trilby Station was once part of the legendary million-acre Dunlop Station, which hosted the world's first mechanical sheep shearing in 1888.

By partnering with project developer Terra Carbon Pty Limited and working with GreenCollar, the Murray family successfully integrated the carbon project with their stocking enterprise. The additional revenue provided vital drought resilience during notorious Western NSW dry spells and funded significant infrastructure improvements, such as enhanced fencing and water points, allowing for better management of grazing pressure. The project has also supported the local economy through the employment of local contractors and promoted regional biodiversity, with the proponents reporting a noticeable return of small native marsupials to the property since its inception.