Mt Jackson Regeneration Project

Mt Jackson Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at Mt Jackson Station, approximately 110 kilometres north-northeast of Southern Cross and 67 kilometres north-northwest of Koolyanobbing in Western Australia. Registered in July 2019, this large-scale project covers 117,276 hectares within the Shire of Yilgarn. The surrounding region is a transition zone between the Wheatbelt and the Goldfields, known primarily for pastoral grazing and significant mineral extraction, including gold and iron ore mining.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which aims to establish permanent even-aged native forests on land where vegetation regrowth has been suppressed for at least 10 years. Rather than planting new trees, the project proponents manage the timing and extent of livestock grazing to reduce pressure on the land. This allows existing in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers to regenerate naturally into forest cover.

Environmentally, the Mt Jackson area is characterized by a semi-arid to arid climate with low, irregular rainfall. The terrain typically consists of sandplains and rocky hills, with soils dominated by sandy loams rich in ironstone gravels, red earths, and clay subsoils. These soil types support hardy, drought-resistant native vegetation, including Acacia species (such as mulga) and Eremophila shrublands.

The project area holds historical significance, containing the Mt Jackson Homestead which was constructed from local stone in 1895 during the region's initial gold rush. While the land is now utilized for carbon farming under the trusteeship of Red Dirt Pastoral Pty Ltd, the station shares its immediate landscape with major iron ore operations, highlighting the dual land-use history of the Yilgarn Craton.