Wirrabilla Native Forest Protection Project

Wirrabilla Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located on the "Wirrabilla" property near Collarenebri, approximately 80km northeast of Walgett, in the Walgett local government area of north-western New South Wales. It was registered in January 2021 and covers 7,076.56 hectares.

Avoided deforestation projects operate under a methodology that credits landholders who choose to protect native forests rather than clear them for agricultural use. To be eligible, the project proponent must have held a valid land-clearing permit issued before July 1, 2010. Carbon credits are generated based on the greenhouse gas emissions avoided by not clearing the native forest and by managing the land to maintain or increase the carbon stored in the trees. For this project, the carbon stock is calculated by applying allometric equations to tree measurements collected through regular biomass surveys.

The Collarenebri and Walgett region is largely characterised by a semi-arid climate with low and highly variable rainfall. The area sits on a floodplain featuring fertile black soil plains and heavy clays. Due to these conditions, the surrounding regional land is predominantly used for livestock grazing (cattle and sheep) and dryland cropping, particularly wheat.

The proponent for this project is Terra Carbon Pty Limited, which operates as a subsidiary of the major Australian environmental market developer GreenCollar. The Wirrabilla property itself also holds local cultural significance; traditional knowledge-holders from the Kamilaroi language group have used the land to teach about traditional native plant uses and pass on local creation stories.