Goolgumbla Forest Regeneration Project

The Goolgumbla Forest Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the remote rangelands of Western New South Wales. Specifically, the project area is situated approximately 75 kilometers west of Louth and 120 kilometers southwest of Bourke, falling within the Bourke Shire Council local government area. Registered in September 2021, the project covers a significant expanse of 35,565 hectares. This region is part of the Mulga Lands bioregion, an area traditionally defined by extensive grazing operations for sheep and cattle, which remains the primary land use in the surrounding district.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology. This method credits landholders for regenerating permanent native forests on land where vegetation has been historically suppressed, typically by grazing livestock or feral animals. To meet the scheme's requirements, the proponent, Karbill Pty Ltd, must manage the timing and extent of grazing to allow native species, such as Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Poplar Box, to reach forest cover status. The forest must be capable of achieving a crown cover of at least 20% and a height of 2 meters.

Environmentally, the site is characterized by a semi-arid climate with low, variable rainfall. The landscape features the red sandy loams and red earth soils typical of the Western Division of NSW. These soils support a vegetation profile dominated by drought-resilient acacia shrublands and native grasses. The project is supported by Climate Friendly Pty Ltd, a service provider that assists with the monitoring and compliance required to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Interestingly, while there is a famous Merino stud known as "Goolgumbla" in the Riverina region (near Jerilderie), this carbon project is located on a separate station of the same name in the far west of the state, likely part of the same pastoral portfolio.