Congararra Regeneration Project

Congararra Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Congararra Station, approximately 10km west of Enngonia and 135km north of Bourke in outback New South Wales. It was registered in August 2015 and covers a vast area of 29,055.77 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests on land where vegetation was previously cleared and regrowth was suppressed for at least 10 years. This method involves changing land management practices to allow native forests to naturally regenerate from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers. To meet standard ACCU methodology requirements, the regenerating native trees must be capable of reaching a minimum height of 2 meters and achieving a forest canopy cover of at least 20%. To facilitate this regrowth, the Congararra project actively manages the timing and extent of grazing and ensures the humane management of feral animals.

The Bourke and Enngonia region is characterised by a semi-arid outback climate with low annual rainfall. Congararra Station features highly fertile black and red soils (typically clays and sandy loams) and benefits from natural flood-out areas watered by the Warrego River system. The surrounding regional land use is heavily dominated by pastoralism, particularly sheep, goat, and cattle grazing. Congararra itself has traditionally operated as a large-scale Dorper sheep and goat enterprise.

The property was previously managed by Dan and Sally Muenster, who notably fenced off parts of the Multagoona Lagoon on the station to protect riparian vegetation, water quality, and Indigenous cultural heritage sites such as scar trees and middens. Following the station's sale for a record regional price, the project's proponent was officially updated in March 2023 to Grimwade & Gordon Land Pty Ltd. Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated from the Congararra Regeneration Project have been purchased and retired by major corporations, including Woodside Energy and Insurance Australia Group (IAG), to help meet their corporate carbon neutrality and emission reduction targets.