Noona Station Native Forest Protection Project

The Noona Station Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located approximately 95 kilometers southwest of Cobar in western New South Wales. Registered in November 2014, the project secures a vast area of 18,018 hectares of native woodland. The region is characterized by its "red country", vast, flat semi-arid rangelands dominated by bimble box and pine, traditionally utilized for sheep and cattle grazing.

The project operates under the Avoided Deforestation 1.1 methodology. This specific framework allows landholders who hold a clearing permit issued before 1 July 2010, typically an Invasive Native Scrub Property Vegetation Plan (INS PVP), to voluntarily surrender that right. Instead of clearing the land for agriculture, the forest is protected, maintaining the carbon stored in the trees. The method requires a commitment to maintain the forest cover for a defined permanence period, which in this case is 100 years.

Environmentally, the site sits within a semi-arid climate zone, experiencing hot summers and mild winters with an average annual rainfall of approximately 300–400mm. The soils are predominantly red earths and loams, typical of the Cobar Peneplain.

Historical records indicate the property has been a pastoral station for generations, with ownership passing through families such as the Lanes in the mid-20th century. More recently, the project proponent changed from Rhonda Hansen to Terra Carbon Pty Limited in 2021, a transition that often aligns with a change in station ownership or management structure. External reports suggest the station has been managed by the Griffiths family since 2019, who have utilized carbon revenue to fund infrastructure upgrades like fencing to support sustainable grazing alongside conservation.