Adelong Station Regeneration Project

Adelong Station Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on the Adelong pastoral lease, approximately 21km west of the town of Menzies in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. Registered in May 2018, the project currently covers an area of approximately 86,021 hectares. The project is situated in a region primarily defined by rangeland grazing (sheep and cattle) and mining operations, located roughly 130km north of the major regional hub of Kalgoorlie.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology, which involves regenerating native forests by suppressing activities that prevent regrowth. For Adelong Station, the specific activity is the management of the timing and extent of grazing by livestock. By controlling grazing pressure, the project aims to allow suppressed vegetation, specifically native species capable of reaching forest height (2 meters) and canopy cover (20%), to regenerate into a permanent even-aged native forest.

Environmentally, the Adelong Station area is characterized by a semi-arid to arid climate with low and variable rainfall, averaging approximately 250mm annually. The landscape typically features red earth soils and shallow sandy loams on granite and greenstone substrates. The vegetation consists largely of Mulga (Acacia aneura) shrublands, saltbush, and bluebush, which are native species well-adapted to the harsh conditions of the Western Australian Goldfields.

A notable aspect of this project is its proponent, the Menzies Aboriginal Corporation (MAC), which owns and manages Adelong Station. This highlights the role of Indigenous landholders in the carbon market, integrating traditional stewardship with carbon farming. While the project fulfilled its specific Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC918036) with the Australian Government in January 2022, it remains an active registered project with a crediting period extending to 2044. The project has undergone administrative variations in 2022 and 2024 to adjust the project area, a common practice in HIR projects to refine carbon estimation areas.