Wilgena and North Well Stations

Wilgena and North Well Stations is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located across two vast pastoral leases in outback South Australia. Situated near the railway towns of Tarcoola and Kingoonya, the area is approximately 180km northeast of Ceduna and 350km northwest of Port Augusta. The project was registered on March 21, 2023, by proponent AI CARBON PROJECTS NO 3 PTY LTD and covers an immense 811,300.81 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects aim to establish permanent, even-aged native forests by removing or altering the suppressors that prevent natural vegetative regrowth. For this specific project, the methodology involves managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing. By intentionally controlling grazing pressure, the land is able to undergo assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources (such as rootstock and lignotubers) in areas where vegetation was previously cleared and natural regrowth had been suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing.

The regional land use is dominated by large-scale pastoral operations, primarily raising Merino sheep for wool and meat alongside small beef cattle herds. The environmental conditions are characterized by a highly arid climate with unpredictable and very low average annual rainfall of approximately 150–175mm. Despite the lack of rainfall, the soils in this part of outback South Australia are reasonably fertile and support hardy native vegetation like saltbush, which taps into the fragile groundwater systems and provides excellent drought-resistant fodder for livestock.

Wilgena Station itself is historically significant; acquired by the McBride family in 1923, it was once regarded as the largest fully fenced sheep run in the world. The property is also home to large natural rock holes, such as Adelbing and Coolbring, which have historically served as vital water catchments for local Aboriginal peoples. Another unique geographical fact is that the northern portion of Wilgena Station falls within the active defense testing zone of the Woomera Prohibited Area, requiring some of the pastoral outstations to be equipped with bomb shelters. As an administrative update to the carbon project, a variation was lodged on December 12, 2025, resulting in specific areas being formally removed from the project's original registered boundary.