Paroo Station Aggregation

Paroo Station Aggregation is a massive Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) carbon project located in the remote Far West region of New South Wales. Situated approximately 60km east of White Cliffs and 80km north of Wilcannia, the project covers an expansive 306,762 hectares within the Central Darling Shire. Registered in March 2022, the project is developed by AI Carbon Projects No 3 Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian Integrated Carbon, and likely aggregates multiple pastoral holdings in the Paroo River catchment area to achieve this significant scale.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology, which focuses on restoring native forest cover by managing the "timing and extent" of grazing. In this semi-arid rangeland environment, historical overgrazing by livestock and feral animals often suppresses the regrowth of native vegetation. by controlling grazing pressure, the project allows in-situ seed sources (including rootstock and lignotubers) to regenerate into permanent even-aged native forests.

The region lies within the Mulga Lands bioregion, characterized by a hot, semi-arid climate with variable annual rainfall averaging around 250mm. The landscape typically features red sandy loam and red earth soils, supporting vegetation dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box, and various woody shrubs. The project is situated near the Paroo River, notable for being the last free-flowing river in the Murray-Darling Basin, which supports unique wetland ecosystems and biodiversity.

An interesting feature of the Paroo Station Aggregation is its immense size, making it a significant contributor to regional carbon abatement efforts. In September 2024, the project underwent a variation to remove certain areas, a standard practice where proponents refine Carbon Estimation Areas (CEAs) to exclude land that may not meet strict forest cover obligations. Despite sharing a name with the well-known Paroo Station mine in Western Australia, this project is distinct and located entirely within the New South Wales rangelands.