Ballythunna Station, Murchison HIR Aggregation

Ballythunna Station, Murchison HIR Aggregation is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at Ballythunna Station in the Murchison region of Western Australia, approximately 215km east of Denham. It was registered in August 2020 and covers 124,833.49 ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests on land that was previously cleared for agricultural purposes and where regrowth has been suppressed for at least 10 years. This methodology requires ceasing suppressive activities so that native vegetation can naturally regenerate to reach forest cover. Standard project activities include the exclusion of livestock, management of the timing and extent of grazing, and the humane management of feral animals.

The Murchison region is characterised by broadacre pastoralism, primarily consisting of sheep and cattle grazing across large, isolated station leases. The area has a semi-arid to arid climate with low, irregular rainfall of about 200-250 mm annually. Local soils generally feature red-brown clay loams, sandy loams, and shallow rocky soils over hardpan.

This project aims to establish a permanent forest from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. There are also several interesting facts associated with the property; Ballythunna Station is the namesake for Eremophila ballythunnensis, a rare small shrub with mauve-purple flowers that is endemic to the area's rocky quartzite hills. Historically, the station hosted the "Ballythunna Bush Bash," a community rodeo event that raised funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. It was established by the property's former owner, Greg Keynes, who took over the pastoral lease following his survival of a helicopter crash. In terms of project administration, the project's proponent transferred from Australian Integrated Carbon Financial Services Pty Ltd to Emissions Abatement Solutions (WA) Pty Ltd in June 2025, and in September 2026, the crediting period start date was varied to January 1, 2022.