Bunnawarra Station Regeneration Project

Bunnawarra Station Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located at Bunnawarra Station, approximately 31km south of Yalgoo and 104km east of Mullewa in the Mid-West region of Western Australia. It was registered in November 2018 and originally covered 90,329.34 hectares, although a July 2020 variation saw some areas removed from the project boundary.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects establish permanent even-aged native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. This methodology mandates a change in land management practices on land that was cleared of vegetation and where regrowth was suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing. For this specific project, regeneration is facilitated by carefully managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing.

The Mid-West region is characterized by historic large-scale sheep grazing, pastoral leases, and mixed farming. Bunnawarra Station itself is a historic pastoral lease originally established in 1902 by the Morrissey brothers and was historically known for its large wool production. The surrounding regional environment is classified as semi-arid with a low rainfall climate, typically featuring mulga shrublands over red sandy earth, gently sloping alluvial plains, and shallow loam soils.

Interestingly, the project proponent, Giuseppe Peter Callo, is an active amateur race car driver who competes in the Western Australian Sporting Car Club championships. The project also secured an active carbon abatement contract with the Commonwealth government in December 2018, committing to deliver over 68,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Additionally, the historic Joker's Tunnel, a hand-cut mining tunnel and local regional tourist attraction, is situated within the bounds of the Bunnawarra Station pastoral lease.