Inkerman Downs Regeneration Project

Inkerman Downs Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located near the small locality of Yantabulla, approximately 120km northwest of Bourke in the Far West region of New South Wales. Registered in April 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 17,053 hectares. The surrounding "Back O' Bourke" region is historically dominated by pastoral grazing (sheep, cattle, and goats) and is part of the Mulga Lands bioregion.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve managing land to allow native timber to regenerate from in-situ sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers, rather than planting new seedlings. To meet the methodology's requirements, the land must have been subject to suppression mechanisms (like overgrazing or mechanical clearing) for at least 10 years prior to the project. The primary activities for this project include the cessation of mechanical clearing and the active management of grazing pressure and feral animals (particularly goats) to permit forest regrowth.

The environment at Inkerman Downs is semi-arid, characterized by hot summers and low, irregular rainfall, typically averaging around 300mm to 350mm annually. The terrain features the red earth and sandy loam soils typical of the Mulga Lands, supporting vegetation such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box, saltbush, and native grasses.

An interesting aspect of this project is its longevity as a pastoral station; Inkerman Downs has been a significant holding in western NSW for over a century. The project is managed with the assistance of Select Carbon (now a subsidiary of Shell), a major aggregator in the Australian carbon market, illustrating how traditional grazing properties are diversifying income streams by restoring landscape health alongside agricultural production.