North Queensland Conservation Initiative Site #3

North Queensland Conservation Initiative Site #3 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at Kinrara Station, near the town of Mount Garnet, approximately 161km south-west of Cairns in Queensland. It was registered in October 2020 and covers an area of 23,588.39 ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent native forests by changing land management practices to alleviate the long-term suppression of native vegetative regrowth. Standard requirements typically include altering livestock grazing schedules, controlling feral animals, and managing non-native plants to allow native trees to successfully regenerate from in-situ seed sources (such as rootstock and lignotubers) on land that was previously cleared.

The Mount Garnet region is positioned in the dry tropics and is predominantly used for large-scale beef cattle grazing and eco-tourism. The area experiences a seasonal semi-arid climate with moderate rainfall and is defined by its past volcanic activity, leaving behind a landscape rich in black and red basalt soils and deep friable clays.

This project sits at the source of the Burdekin River, an area featuring ancient lava flows and permanent spring-fed creeks. It was established to demonstrate how shifting from continuous set stocking to timed, managed cattle grazing can successfully restore native landscapes without halting agricultural production. Furthermore, the property adjoins the Kinrara National Park, and the carbon project helps support critical wetland protection areas and wildlife corridors for over 195 identified bird species.