Koonaburra Regeneration Project

Koonaburra Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at the Koonaburra Station, approximately 100km northeast of Ivanhoe and 140km southwest of Cobar in the remote rangelands of western New South Wales. It was registered in October 2021 and covers a project area of 46,028.12 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent even-aged native forests through assisted natural regeneration on land where vegetation growth has been suppressed for at least 10 years. This is achieved through eligible activities such as the humane management of feral animals, thereby allowing native species to naturally regenerate from in-situ seed sources, rootstocks, and lignotubers.

The Cobar Shire region was traditionally used for extensive agricultural grazing, primarily sheep, cattle, and feral goat harvesting. The local environment features a semi-arid, low-rainfall climate. The landscape is characterized by red sandy loam soils and sandplain dune fields dotted with "melon holes" (natural water depressions). Regional vegetation is dominated by Mulga, Bimble Box, and White Cypress Pine.

Interestingly, the Koonaburra property was previously part of an earlier carbon project (the Belarabon Koonaburra Regeneration Project) registered in 2015, which was voluntarily revoked in 2018. Recognizing its immense ecological value, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service purchased the station in 2021 for over $9.1 million to establish the Koonaburra National Park. The property provides vital habitat for at least 20 threatened animal species, including the Major Mitchell's cockatoo, the Malleefowl, and the fat-tailed dunnart. In December 2025, the project proponent was officially updated from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. The carbon project directly supports the broader conservation goals of the national park by funding extensive fencing upgrades, feral goat mustering, and aerial control of feral pigs to ensure native flora can recover.