Duff Carbon Farming Project

The Duff Carbon Farming Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the semi-arid outback of South West Queensland, approximately 140km south of Charleville within the Paroo Shire. Registered in October 2017, the project covers a substantial area of 22,308.72 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve changing land management practices to allow permanent even-aged native forests to naturally regenerate from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. Standard methodology requirements dictate that the regenerated forest must eventually reach a minimum of 20% crown cover and a height of at least 2 metres across the carbon estimation areas.

The surrounding Paroo region is known for its vast pastoral operations, primarily focused on sheep and cattle grazing. The environment is characterised by a semi-arid climate with low annual rainfall (averaging around 376mm in nearby Cunnamulla). The soils in this Mulga Lands bioregion typically consist of red earths, hardpan clays, and sandy loams.

This project was established to restore native vegetation on land that had been previously cleared and where regrowth was actively suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project's commencement. To achieve this, the project focuses on the cessation of mechanical or chemical destruction of native regrowth, alongside carefully managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing. The project proponents, Paniri Holdings Pty Ltd and Paniri Ventures Pty Ltd, operate multiple similar carbon farming initiatives across Queensland, such as the Burns, Mount Alfred, and Flanders Carbon Projects, demonstrating a broad corporate portfolio of environmental restoration combined with sustainable pastoral land management.