Curranyalpa Human-Induced Regeneration Project

The Curranyalpa Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a regeneration initiative located on Curranyalpa Station, situated approximately 70km south of the locality of Tilpa and 140km northwest of the major service town of Cobar in Western New South Wales. Registered in June 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 12,412 hectares. The region is part of the Murray Darling Depression bioregion, an area traditionally dominated by rangeland grazing, specifically for sheep, cattle, and harvested feral goats.

This project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology. Unlike environmental plantings where new trees are physically planted, HIR projects rely on changing land management practices to allow existing native seed banks and rootstocks to regenerate naturally. For this specific project, the primary activity involves managing grazing pressure, specifically by controlling feral goats and adjusting livestock timing, to permit suppressed vegetation to recover and reach forest maturity.

The environment at Curranyalpa is semi-arid, characterized by flat plains and loamy red earth soils. The vegetation typically consists of drought-resilient species such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Turpentine (Eremophila sturtii), and Poplar Box. The project is managed by the McBride family, who have utilized the carbon revenue to upgrade station infrastructure, including fencing and goat traps, which are essential for maintaining the lower grazing pressure required for the native forest to re-establish.