Poon Boon Regeneration Project

Poon Boon Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located near Kerrigundi, approximately 50km north-northwest of Cobar in the central-western region of New South Wales. It was registered in August 2015 and covers an extensive area of 11,798.59 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve regenerating native forests by altering land management practices on land where native vegetation has been suppressed for at least 10 years. Standard requirements for these projects dictate that the assisted regeneration must eventually achieve native forest cover with at least 20% crown cover and trees reaching heights of 2 metres or more.

The Cobar region is well known for large-scale sheep and cattle pastoral stations, alongside significant mining operations such as the nearby Elura Mine. The area features a semi-arid climate characterized by low rainfall, and the landscape consists predominantly of residual red earths, sandy loams, and lateritic soils.

This project aims to establish permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. To achieve this, the principal activity is the humane management of feral animals, which reduces browsing pressures that have historically suppressed regrowth. In November 2021, the project updated its methodology to Compilation No. 3 of the 2013 HIR determination. In September 2024, the proponent registration was updated from Rodney and Kaylene Boal to solely Rodney Charles Boal, who operates the project alongside participants such as Climate Friendly Pty Ltd. As a point of interest, the project's woody cover fraction (WCF) data was referenced in a 2024 ecological study assessing regulatory compliance and forest growth across Australian HIR projects.