Nalbarra Regeneration Project

Nalbarra Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Nalbarra Station, approximately 70 kilometers south-west of Mount Magnet in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Registered in November 2017, the project covers a substantial area of roughly 141,230 hectares. The project operates within a region historically dominated by pastoral leases for sheep and cattle grazing, as well as significant mining activity.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve regenerating native forest on land where vegetation growth has been suppressed, typically by agricultural activities. Unlike environmental planting, which involves active tree planting, HIR relies on the germination of in-situ seed sources (such as rootstock and lignotubers). The standard requirements for this methodology involve removing the suppression mechanisms, in this case, managing the timing and extent of grazing pressure and controlling feral animals, to allow the native "Mulga" woodland to regenerate naturally.

The environment at Nalbarra Station is characterized by a semi-arid to arid climate with low and irregular rainfall. The landscape features iconic "breakaway" country (eroded geological formations), red sandy loams, and shallow earth soils that support native vegetation such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), wattle, and seasonal wildflowers.

An interesting aspect of this project is the diversification of the land use; in addition to the carbon project and pastoral activities, Nalbarra Station runs a popular "station stay" tourism business, inviting visitors to camp and explore the breakaway country. The project proponent, Hamilton Agriculture Pty Ltd, took over the project following a variation in 2018, coinciding with a change in station management. The project is supported by Select Carbon, a service provider now wholly owned by Shell Australia.