Tolarno Station

The Tolarno Station Carbon Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 50km south of Menindee in the Lower Western Division of New South Wales. Registered in September 2021, the project covers a massive expanse of 98,383 hectares along the Darling River. The proponent, AI Carbon Projects No 3 Pty Ltd, manages the project in partnership with the landholders.

The region is defined by its semi-arid climate and vast pastoral operations, primarily utilized for grazing sheep, cattle, and goats. The landscape features a mix of riverine floodplains with heavy clay soils and red sandy loam rangelands supporting vegetation such as saltbush, bluebush, and Acacia species. The project methodology, Human-Induced Regeneration, involves altering land management practices, specifically controlling the timing and extent of grazing and managing feral animals, to allow native forests to regenerate from in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers. To earn credits, the regenerating vegetation must eventually reach "forest cover" status, defined as 20% canopy cover at a height of 2 metres.

Tolarno Station itself is a property of significant historical and contemporary interest. It is owned by the McBride family, with grazier Rob McBride being a prominent advocate for river health, particularly following the mass fish kill events in the Menindee Lakes system. The station dates back to the mid-19th century and was once a bustling hub with its own hotels and shearing sheds. The carbon project represents a diversification of the station's operations, integrating environmental stewardship with traditional wool and livestock production.