Kilcowera and Zenonie Forest Regeneration Project

Kilcowera and Zenonie Forest Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located at Kilcowera Station, approximately 90km south of Thargomindah in South West Queensland. It was registered in August 2015 and covers an extensive area of 79,068 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests on land that was previously cleared of vegetation and where regrowth has been suppressed for at least 10 years. Standard requirements dictate the regeneration of native trees from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers, to eventually reach a natural forest cover. The activities implemented for this project to achieve this include the cessation of mechanical or chemical destruction of regrowth, the strict management of the timing and extent of livestock grazing, and the humane management of feral animals.

The South West Queensland region around Thargomindah is characterised by a semi-arid, desert outback climate that is highly susceptible to extended droughts. The landscape consists largely of red soils and red mulga rangelands interspersed with watercourse country and ephemeral wetlands. Regional land use is predominantly large-scale pastoral farming, primarily focusing on cattle, sheep, and goat grazing.

Kilcowera Station is an organically run cattle property that successfully balances its traditional pastoral operations with outback tourism and carbon farming. The station borders the RAMSAR-listed Currawinya National Park and Lake Wyara, making it a popular destination for eco-tourists and bird watchers. In early 2021, long-time owners Greg and Toni Sherwin sold the adjoining Kilcowera and Zenonie properties to a New South Wales producer, which led to the official transfer of the project's proponent name to Vision Pastoral Company Pty Limited. Additionally, Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated from this project have been used by high-profile entities, such as the Barangaroo Precinct in Sydney, to help meet their Climate Active carbon neutral certification goals.