Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #7

Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #7 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the remote rangelands of western New South Wales, approximately 110 kilometers southwest of Cobar and 100 kilometers northeast of Ivanhoe. Registered in May 2019, the project covers a significant area of 32,820 hectares within the Cobar Peneplain bioregion. While the project is named after the Darling River, the site itself is situated east of the river, sitting within the broader catchment area that feeds into the Murray-Darling Basin.

The project operates on land historically used for extensive grazing, primarily of sheep and goats. The region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with variable, low rainfall (typically averaging 300-400mm annually) and soils dominated by red earths and sandy loams. These conditions support vegetation types such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box, and White Cypress Pine, which are the primary target species for regeneration in this area.

This project utilizes the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology. Unlike tree-planting projects, HIR involves changing land management practices to allow existing suppressed vegetation to regenerate naturally. For this specific site, activities include managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing and controlling feral animals (such as goats) that eat young saplings. The goal is to allow native seedlings and lignotubers already present in the soil to grow into permanent forest cover, thereby sequestering carbon.

An interesting note about this project is its connection to major corporate offsetting. Public disclosures indicate that Woodside Energy has purchased Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) from this specific project (Site #7) as part of their climate transition strategy. Additionally, the proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited, is a subsidiary of the GreenCollar Group, one of Australia's largest environmental markets investors. The "Site #7" designation indicates this property is part of a larger aggregated portfolio of conservation properties across the region managed under a single initiative.