Mount Margaret Regeneration Project

Mount Margaret Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the remote Channel Country of South West Queensland, approximately 80km southwest of Eromanga and 160km west of Quilpie. Registered in April 2018, the project covers a massive 630,786 hectares, encompassing the Mount Margaret and Kihee pastoral stations. This aggregation is one of the more significant landholdings in the region, featuring an 80km double frontage to the Wilson River.

The region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with low, highly variable rainfall, typically averaging between 200mm and 300mm annually. The landscape consists of expansive floodplains, stony downs, and red earth country. The soil types range from the grey clays of the Mitchell grass downs to red loams that support the regeneration of native species such as Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Gidgee. Historically, the area has been used for extensive cattle and sheep grazing, with the property having an estimated carrying capacity of roughly 7,000 cattle or 60,000 sheep prior to the carbon project's implementation.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve managing land to allow native forest to regenerate from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, or lignotubers. For this specific project, the proponent, Usher Pastoral Company, works to cease mechanical clearing and manage the timing and extent of grazing pressure from livestock and feral animals (such as goats). This reduction in suppression allows the native vegetation to recover and eventually achieve "forest cover" status, defined as trees reaching 2 meters in height with at least 20% canopy cover.

A notable aspect of this project is its scale and the timing of its ownership. Usher Pastoral Company acquired the Mount Margaret and Kihee stations in 2017, shortly before registering the carbon project in 2018. This transition marks a shift in land management where carbon farming operates alongside traditional pastoral activities, utilizing the vast landscape to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) while maintaining a sustainable grazing operation.