Pindabunna Regeneration Project

Pindabunna Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Pindabunna Station in the Murchison region of Western Australia, approximately 570km northeast of Perth and near the town of Mount Magnet. Registered in November 2017, the project is massive, spanning 238,060.77 hectares across land traditionally used for pastoral leases, primarily sheep and cattle grazing.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve changing land management practices to encourage the regrowth of native forests on land where vegetation has been suppressed for at least 10 years. For this project, the primary activity is the careful management of the timing and extent of grazing. This allows permanent native forests to naturally re-establish through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including resilient rootstock and lignotubers. Standard HIR requirements mandate that the recovering forest must reach "forest potential", defined as a minimum of 20% crown cover and a height of at least 2 meters at maturity.

The Murchison region features a harsh, semi-arid to arid climate. The area typically experiences very low annual rainfall, averaging between 200mm and 250mm. Situated on the ancient Yilgarn Craton, the soils in this district are generally neutral to acid non-calcareous earths, red sandy loams, and clays often associated with hardpans and granitic "breakaways".

As an interesting note, the proponent, Rangeland Red Pty Ltd (in partnership with Select Carbon Pty Ltd), has successfully secured Carbon Abatement Contracts with the Clean Energy Regulator to deliver ACCUs. Given the region's environmental focus, pastoral properties like Pindabunna are also actively involved in broader regional biosecurity and conservation efforts, such as the Meekatharra Rangelands Biosecurity Association's feral herbivore (e.g., donkeys, horses) and wild dog control programs. Managing these pests directly supports the survival and growth of regenerating native saplings by limiting overgrazing and land degradation.