Atley Station Regeneration Project

The Atley Station Regeneration Project is a significant Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on the Atley pastoral station, approximately 34km southwest of the town of Sandstone in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Registered in May 2018, the project encompasses a massive expanse of 350,796 hectares. The property sits within the Shire of Sandstone and has historically been utilized as a pastoral lease for sheep and cattle grazing, positioning it within WA's vast southern rangelands.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects in this context focus on restoring native forest cover by managing the threats that previously suppressed vegetation growth. For Atley Station, the primary activity involves managing the timing and extent of grazing pressure from livestock (such as sheep and cattle) and feral animals (like goats). By controlling these animals through fencing and strategic destocking, the project allows existing in-situ seed sources, specifically rootstock and lignotubers, to regenerate into permanent even-aged native forests.

The environmental conditions at Atley Station are typical of the semi-arid Murchison region, characterized by low and unreliable rainfall averaging approximately 250mm annually. The landscape is dominated by "red country," featuring red sandy loams, clay loams, and shallow stony soils over hardpan. The native vegetation responding to the regeneration activities is primarily Mulga (Acacia aneura) shrublands, along with saltbush and other drought-resilient flora suitable for the arid climate.

This project is notable for being part of the initial wave of Western Australian pastoral leases to successfully integrate carbon farming following state government land tenure reforms in 2018. The proponents, the Hodshon family, have owned the station since the early 2000s and previously struggled with wild dog predation affecting their sheep flock. The introduction of the carbon project provided a diversified income stream, allowing them to remain on the land while shifting their focus toward regeneration and sustainable land management in partnership with service provider Select Carbon.