Penaroo Regeneration Project (Revoked)

The Penaroo Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on "Penaroo" station, approximately 25km from the township of Eulo in South West Queensland. Registered in January 2021, the project covers a vast area of 28,071 hectares within the Paroo Shire local government area. The region is situated roughly 90km west of the larger service centre of Cunnamulla and is traditionally dominated by pastoral grazing activities, specifically for sheep, cattle, and goats.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects under the Carbon Farming Initiative focus on regenerating native forests on land where vegetation growth has been suppressed for at least 10 years, typically by livestock or mechanical clearing. Unlike environmental plantings, this method does not involve planting new trees. Instead, it relies on assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers. To achieve this, the project proponent implements management changes such as controlling feral animals (often goats in this region), managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing, and ceasing mechanical destruction of regrowth. The goal is to allow the native vegetation to recover to "forest cover" status, defined as trees reaching at least 2 meters in height with 20% canopy cover.

The environment at Penaroo is characteristic of the semi-arid Mulga Lands bioregion. The area typically receives an average annual rainfall of approximately 350mm (14-15 inches). The landscape consists of "sweet country" featuring red pebbly soils and red earths, supporting vegetation types such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Gidyea, and Leopardwood, alongside natural grasses and herbages. The project likely operates by balancing active carbon sequestration with managed grazing, allowing the landholder to diversify income streams while restoring local biodiversity.