Heffernan Forest Regeneration Project

Heffernan Forest Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located approximately 35km south-east of Wanaaring and 150km west of Bourke in the Unincorporated Area of outback New South Wales. It was registered in April 2016 and covers a vast 141,994.83 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent even-aged native forests through assisted regeneration on land that was previously cleared of vegetation and where regrowth was suppressed for at least 10 years. In this project, regeneration from in-situ seed sources (including rootstock and lignotubers) is achieved by managing the timing and extent of grazing and humanely managing feral animals.

The remote Bourke and Wanaaring region is known for large-scale pastoral operations, primarily grazing cattle, sheep, and goats. The area is classified as semi-arid with low annual rainfall, and local soils generally consist of red earths, sandy loams, and clays.

This massive project was set up by Garry Michael Heffernan and Carbon Farmers of Australia. Due to its sheer size, it is a significant generator of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs); in a 2025 carbon market report, it was noted that the Heffernan Forest Regeneration Project received the largest single issuance parcel of any individual project for the month of March, totalling more than 91,000 ACCUs.