Ouida Station Human-Induced Regeneration Project

The Ouida Station Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a large-scale carbon farming initiative located approximately 80 kilometers northwest of the regional hub of Charleville in southern Queensland. Registered in November 2016, the project spans a substantial area of 15,876 hectares within the Murweh Shire Council local government area. The property is situated in the Mulga Lands bioregion, an area traditionally dominated by pastoral leaseholds used for sheep and cattle grazing.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology. This specific method focuses on regenerating permanent native forests on land where vegetation had previously been cleared or suppressed for at least 10 years. Rather than planting new trees, the project proponents encourage the regrowth of existing "in-situ" seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers. This is achieved primarily by ceasing mechanical clearing and managing grazing pressure from livestock and feral animals to allow young trees to reach forest maturity.

Environmentally, the region is classified as semi-arid, characterized by hot summers and variable rainfall averaging around 450-500mm annually. The landscape typically features red earth and sandy loam soils that support extensive Acacia aneura (Mulga) scrublands and eucalypt woodlands. These hardy native species are well-adapted to the dry conditions and respond vigorously to the removal of suppression activities, making the area highly suitable for HIR projects.

Notable administrative updates indicate significant changes in the project's ownership structure. Originally associated with the Griffiths family, the project saw a change in proponents in late 2021, transferring first to Gregory Griffiths and Susan Collins, and subsequently to Colleen and Geoffrey Pattison in December 2021. This rapid succession of changes strongly suggests the property was sold with the carbon project attached. The project is supported by the service provider CO2 Australia and holds an active Fixed Delivery contract (CAC205502) with the Commonwealth, securing the sale of over 130,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) over its contract term.