Gambolalley Regeneration Project

Gambolalley Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located at Gambolalley Station, approximately 80km northwest of Cobar in western New South Wales. It was registered in August 2015 and covers an area of 33,125.88 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve restoring native forests by changing land management practices to cease activities that have previously suppressed tree growth. Under this specific methodology, the land must have been cleared of vegetation and experienced suppressed regrowth for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing.

The Cobar region is historically known for pastoralism, with extensive sheep and cattle grazing being the dominant land uses. The area features a semi-arid climate characterized by low, variable rainfall, and soils in the region are typically red earths, sandy loams, and clay plains.

To achieve carbon sequestration, the project establishes permanent even-aged native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. The primary project activity involves the management of feral animals in a humane manner to remove suppression pressures and allow native vegetation to recover.

Since its inception, the project has undergone some administrative changes. In December 2015, a variation was made to the project area to remove certain listed areas. Later, in September 2019, the participant structure was updated to solely list Charles Allan Mitchell, removing Janice Faye Mitchell. Interestingly, the proponent, Charles Mitchell, was awarded a Bravery Medal for his heroic actions in March 2014, when he helped rescue a trapped driver from a burning vehicle following a severe crash near Dubbo, NSW.