Dunsandle Native Forest Protection Project

Dunsandle Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located approximately 35km west of Weilmoringle and 100km north of Brewarrina in the far north of New South Wales. Registered in March 2015, the project protects a significant expanse of 8,428 hectares of native vegetation. The property, identified in some state records as being associated with the broader Ellerslie Station aggregation, is situated within the Mulga Lands bioregion, an area historically utilized for rangeland grazing of sheep and cattle.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Avoided Deforestation 1.1) Methodology Determination 2015. This specific methodology is applicable to landholders who hold a distinct clearing consent issued prior to July 1, 2010, which would have legally permitted the conversion of native forest into cropland or improved pasture. By voluntarily surrendering this right and maintaining the forest biomass for the duration of the permanence period (typically 100 years), the project generates carbon credits by preventing the emissions associated with clearing and decomposition. A notable administrative detail for Dunsandle is its variation in May 2015, where it transitioned from the 2013 version of the methodology to the updated 1.1 version shortly after registration.

The environmental context of the Weilmoringle region is defined by a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen classification BSh) with highly variable annual rainfall averaging between 350mm and 450mm. The landscape typically features a mosaic of red earth soils on ridges and grey cracking clays on the floodplains associated with the nearby Culgoa and Birrie river systems. The vegetation protected likely consists of species common to the "Invasive Native Scrub" classification, such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box (Eucalyptus populnea), and Coolabah (Eucalyptus coolabah), which are critical for maintaining soil stability and biodiversity in this fragile ecosystem.

An analysis of the proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited, reveals that this entity serves as a trading name and subsidiary for the GreenCollar Group, one of Australia’s largest environmental markets investors. This project has been active in the carbon market, securing a contract (CAC439570) with the Clean Energy Regulator to deliver over 150,000 tonnes of abatement to the Commonwealth. The project's integration into the Ellerslie Station aggregation highlights a trend in the region where large pastoral holdings diversify income streams by combining traditional grazing with carbon sequestration activities.