Wandina Pinegrove Regeneration Project

The Wandina Pinegrove Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 70km north of Mullewa and roughly 150km northeast of Geraldton in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Registered in October 2018, the project spans a massive 76,387 hectares across the Wandina and Pinegrove pastoral stations. The region is characterized by its semi-arid rangelands, primarily utilized for sheep and cattle grazing, and is well-regarded for its seasonal wildflower displays.

Operating under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, this project focuses on regenerating permanent even-aged native forests. The primary activity involves managing the timing and extent of grazing pressure to allow native vegetation, suppressed for at least a decade prior to the project, to recover and grow. Unlike environmental planting, HIR relies on existing rootstock and lignotubers in the soil (in-situ seed sources) rather than planting new seedlings.

The environmental conditions of the site are typical of the Murchison bioregion, featuring red sandy earth, clay loams, and granite outcrops. Rainfall is low and variable, averaging between 200mm and 250mm annually, which supports vegetation dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura) scrub and other hardy native shrubs.

An interesting aspect of this project is the proponent, Loton Investments Pty Ltd, which is also associated with Plantation Logging Co., a major Western Australian forestry operation. This suggests a strong existing expertise in land and timber management. Additionally, Wandina Station is a known destination for outback tourism, offering station stays and tours of its historical stone homestead and granite gorges, diversifying the land use beyond carbon and grazing.