Curraweena Regeneration Project

The Curraweena Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Curraweena Station, approximately 90km north of Cobar and 70km south of Bourke in western New South Wales. Registered in April 2016, the project covers a substantial area of 19,111 hectares within the Bourke Local Government Area. The region is defined by its semi-arid climate, receiving an average annual rainfall of around 350mm, and is characterized by red sandy loam soils and flat-to-undulating rangelands that support Mulga, Rosewood, and native grasses.

Operating under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Methodology, the project focuses on regenerating permanent even-aged native forests. The primary activity involves managing the timing and extent of grazing, specifically controlling feral animals like goats, to allow native vegetation to recover from historic suppression. By ceasing mechanical clearing and managing grazing pressure, the project facilitates the regrowth of in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers, eventually restoring forest cover to the landscape. The project has a permanence period of 100 years, committing the land to carbon storage until the 22nd century.

A notable aspect of this project is its proponent, Lord & Lady Donnelly Pty Ltd as the Trustee for the Ten Eighty Superannuation Fund. The fund's name, Ten Eighty, is likely a reference to 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate), a poison widely used in Australian agriculture for controlling feral pests, a fitting nod to the project's operational focus on feral animal management. The project is managed in partnership with Select Carbon, a major aggregator acquired by Shell in 2020. Historically, Curraweena Station is known for its unique 1890s-era stone shearing shed and one of the largest hand-dug underground water tanks in NSW, highlighting the property's deep pastoral heritage alongside its modern carbon farming operations.