Spring Plains Human-Induced Regeneration Project (Revoked)

The Spring Plains Human-Induced Regeneration Project (Revoked) was a carbon abatement initiative located on the Spring Plains pastoral station, approximately 130km west-southwest of Longreach in Central West Queensland. The project was registered by Stephen Robert Hawe in March 2017 and covered a substantial area of 16,690 hectares. It operated for approximately two and a half years before being voluntarily revoked in October 2019 under section 30 of the CFI Rule.

The Longreach region is defined by a semi-arid, sub-tropical continental climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 400mm to 450mm, which predominantly falls during the summer months. While the broader district is famous for its Mitchell grass downs and cracking clay soils, the specific landscape around Spring Plains is noted for containing red soils, sand, and sandstone features, including stony hills and plateaus. The primary land use in this remote area is extensive grazing for cattle and sheep.

This project utilised the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology, which credits landholders for regenerating native forest on land where vegetation growth has been suppressed for at least 10 years. The core activity involved changes to land management, specifically the cessation of mechanical clearing and the control of grazing pressure, to allow native vegetation to recover and reach forest maturity. As a revoked project, it is no longer generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).