Mullagalah Regeneration Project

Mullagalah Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Mullagalah Station, approximately 45km southeast of Bourke in the Orana region of New South Wales. Registered in March 2015, the project covers a significant landholding of 11,326 hectares. The project is situated within the Bourke-Byrock corridor, an area traditionally utilized for the extensive grazing of sheep and cattle, which has historically suppressed the regrowth of native vegetation.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, specifically the most recent Compilation No. 3 following a 2023 variation. This method involves implementing changes in land management to facilitate the recovery of native forests on land where regrowth has been suppressed for at least 10 years. For the Mullagalah project, this primarily involves managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing and actively controlling feral animals, such as goats, to allow in-situ seed sources and rootstock to regenerate into permanent forest cover.

Environmentally, the region is classified as semi-arid (Köppen classification BSh), characterized by hot summers, cool winters, and low, variable rainfall averaging around 300mm to 350mm annually. The landscape typically features the red earth and sandy loam soils common to the Mulga Lands bioregion. Interestingly, the Byrock area is geologically distinct due to the presence of leucitite (basalt) diatremes, which can introduce clay-rich basaltic soils into the predominantly red earth landscape, supporting vegetation communities dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Bimble Box.

The project is managed by proponents Michael and Tanya Marshman with the assistance of carbon service provider Climate Friendly. It holds an active carbon abatement contract with the Commonwealth government and has been successful enough to warrant an expansion; a subsequent project, "Mullagalah II Regeneration Project," was registered in 2017 to increase the carbon footprint of the operation. Historically, the property is located near routes once used by the famous Cobb & Co coach lines, adding a layer of heritage to the landscape.