Darling River Eco Corridor #32

Darling River Eco Corridor #32 is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located at a property approximately 45km north-west of Bourke in New South Wales. It was registered on November 10, 2017, and covers 19,847.21 ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. Standard requirements dictate that the land was previously cleared of vegetation and that regrowth was suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing. To achieve genuine forest cover, land managers must cease these suppressive activities and manage the land to allow trees to reach standard forest height and canopy criteria.

The Bourke area and the broader Mulga Lands bioregion are predominantly known for sheep and cattle grazing operations. The region experiences a semi-arid climate with highly variable rainfall, and the local environment typically consists of flat country with slight undulations, red sandy hills, and red sandy loam soils.

This project was established by the Whelan family in partnership with GreenCollar, operating through its subsidiary Terra Carbon Pty Limited. The core project activities involve managing the timing and the extent of livestock grazing, alongside the humane management of feral animals. The alternative income stream generated from Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) has funded significant property infrastructure improvements, including vital fencing and trap yards to control feral goats. This financial security has also allowed the family to safely reduce livestock numbers, thereby improving the property's overall resilience to drought. Field surveys indicate successful regeneration of dominant native species such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa), and Turpentine bush (Eremophila sturtii). Furthermore, the project currently holds an active fixed delivery Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC357614) with the Commonwealth Government, which originally committed over 1.6 million tonnes of carbon abatement.