Joonderee and Elmina Regeneration Project

Joonderee and Elmina Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 55km east of Wyandra and 95km south-east of Charleville in South West Queensland. It was registered on August 21, 2015, and spans an extensive area of 21,093.67 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent even-aged native forests by altering land management practices to allow native vegetation to naturally regenerate from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. To meet the standard methodology requirements, the project must occur on land where native vegetation was previously cleared and regrowth suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project's commencement. For this specific project, activities involve ceasing the mechanical or chemical destruction of regrowth and actively managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing.

Located within the Mulga Lands bioregion, the surrounding regional land use is heavily dominated by extensive sheep and cattle grazing operations. The environment here is classified as semi-arid, experiencing low annual rainfall, and the regional soil profile generally consists of red earths, sandy loams, and clay plains.

Interestingly, the Elmina property boasts a rich pastoral history dating back to 1894 when it was acquired by the Fletcher Brothers. In the early 20th century, the station featured a ten-stand shearing shed famously powered by a rare water turbine known as the Elmina Pelton Wheel. This unique wheel was driven entirely by the natural water pressure of an artesian bore. The project's proponent, William Tomlinson, recently donated the remnants of this historic water wheel to the local Cunnamulla Information Centre for restoration. Additionally, the project underwent a project area variation in November 2016 to remove certain areas and updated its methodology version to Compilation No. 3 in September 2023.