Erlistoun Station Regeneration Project

Erlistoun Station Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located on Erlistoun Station, approximately 72km north of Laverton in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. It was registered in May 2018 and covers a massive 292,219.36 hectares, though some areas were removed via a variation in July 2020.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent native forests through assisted regeneration. The standard requirements for this methodology dictate that land managers must remove or manage suppressing activities, in this case, adjusting the timing and extent of livestock grazing, on land that was cleared and suppressed for at least 10 years. This allows native vegetation to naturally regenerate from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers until the trees reach standard forest cover, typically defined as at least 20% canopy cover and a height of 2 metres.

The Laverton region is characterised by a semi-arid to arid climate, meaning the environment experiences low and highly variable rainfall. The general land use in this remote area is dominated by large-scale pastoral leases focused on cattle and sheep grazing, as well as mining operations. The soil types typical of this Western Australian goldfields outback region consist primarily of red sandy loams, clay loams, and arid desert soils.

The project is run by proponent Moore River Beef Pty Ltd in partnership with project agent Select Carbon Pty Ltd. Historically, the property has operated as a pastoral lease since 1904. An interesting historical fact about the project's property is that Erlistoun Station served as the location for the first feature-length film ever shot in Western Australia, a 1926 movie titled Down Under.