Walling Rock Station Regeneration Project

Walling Rock Station Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Walling Rock Station, approximately 80 kilometers west of the town of Menzies and roughly 170 kilometers northwest of Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields region of Western Australia. Registered in May 2018, the project encompasses a massive area of approximately 153,383 hectares. The region is primarily defined by pastoral leases used for rangeland grazing, as well as historical and active mining exploration.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which facilitates the restoration of native forest cover through assisted regeneration rather than planting. By managing the timing and extent of grazing pressure, essentially removing or rotating livestock, the project allows suppressed vegetation, such as native mulga and shrublands, to regenerate from in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers.

Environmentally, the Walling Rock area is situated in a hot desert climate (BWh) characterized by low, irregular rainfall and high evaporation rates. The landscape typically features red sandy loams, laterite, and clay soils that support drought-resistant vegetation including Acacia species (Mulga), Black Oak, and native grasses like Astrostipa nitida. The terrain includes features such as granite outcrops and gnamma holes, which are significant for local biodiversity.

An interesting aspect of this project is the involvement of the proponent, Keith Charles Mader, who has been a vocal advocate regarding land management in the region. Public records indicate Mader has previously provided evidence to the Western Australian Parliament regarding the sandalwood industry, highlighting conflicts between pastoral grazing and government-contracted harvesting practices. While the project's primary carbon abatement contract (CAC540320) was listed as completed in early 2022, the project itself has a crediting period extending through to 2043.