Buckleboo Station

Buckleboo Station is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on the northern Eyre Peninsula, approximately 31 kilometers northwest of the township of Kimba in South Australia. Registered in October 2021, the project covers a massive area of nearly 100,000 hectares, situated on the edge of the Gawler Ranges. The region is traditionally a pastoral zone utilised for sheep grazing, characterized by its semi-arid climate and vast, open shrublands.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which awards carbon credits for regenerating native forests on land where vegetation has been suppressed for at least 10 years. To achieve this, the project proponent, AI Carbon Projects No 3 Pty Ltd (an entity of Australian Integrated Carbon), works with the station operators to manage the timing and extent of grazing. This involves shifting from continuous stocking to rotational grazing and actively managing feral animals, particularly goats, to allow native vegetation such as chenopod shrublands, hop bush, and saltbush to recover.

Environmental conditions at Buckleboo are challenging, with the area receiving a low annual rainfall of approximately 300mm to 350mm. The landscape features calcareous sandy loams and red sodosols, often overlying clay or calcrete sheets, which can restrict water holding capacity. Despite these harsh conditions, the project has reported significant ecological improvements; biomass on the station reportedly increased six-fold between 2021 and 2025 following the implementation of new grazing regimes.

An interesting note about this project is its operator, Paroo Pastoral Company (part of the Light Force Group), which has been recognized for its sustainability efforts, winning a South Australian Landcare Award. The station manager, James Kerr, has publicly described the property's transformation from a drought-affected "moonscape" to a regenerating landscape. Additionally, the project has successfully engaged with the Traditional Owners, the Gawler Ranges Aboriginal Corporation, to ensure cultural heritage is respected alongside carbon farming activities.