Tolarno Station

Tolarno Station is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at Tolarno Station, approximately 50km south of Menindee along the Darling River (Barka) in western New South Wales. Registered in September 2021 by the proponent AI CARBON PROJECTS NO 3 PTY LTD, the project spans an impressive 98,383.87 hectares. Originally registered under the name "AI Carbon No.3 NSW TS", the project's name was officially varied to "Tolarno Station" in July 2024, following a project area variation in October 2023.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) of a Permanent Even-Aged Native Forest projects aim to establish permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. The methodology is designed for land that was previously cleared of vegetation and where regrowth has been suppressed for at least 10 years. To achieve regeneration, proponents change land management practices. For Tolarno Station, the specific project activities involve the careful management of the timing and extent of livestock grazing, as well as the humane management of feral animals.

The region surrounding Menindee and Tolarno Station is a semi-arid outback environment characterized by low rainfall, averaging approximately 245mm annually. The environment features high summer temperatures and high evapotranspiration rates. The soils in the region generally consist of alluvial clays and clay loams along the Darling River floodplains (supporting river red gums and black box), alongside red sandy soils on the elevated surrounding plains. The primary land use in this region is historical pastoralism, mainly focused on extensive sheep and cattle grazing.

Tolarno Station itself is a historic property, encompassing over 275,000 hectares in total (along with sister properties Peppora and Wyoming). Owned by the McBride family since 1949, it has a rich history in the Australian wool industry, once running over 338,000 Merino sheep and employing up to 400 staff. The station also holds national cultural significance as the final outpost gathering point for the Burke and Wills expedition in 1860, and it was heavily involved in the famous 1894 shearers' strike that helped inspire elements of "Waltzing Matilda". In recent years, Tolarno Station and its owners have gained national attention for their fierce advocacy regarding the health of the Darling River (Barka), calling out water mismanagement and highlighting devastating mass fish kill events caused by prolonged dry spells and over-extraction of river water.