Klondyke Station

Klondyke Station is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) carbon project located in the remote Far West region of New South Wales, approximately 75km northeast of the opal-mining town of White Cliffs. Registered in March 2022, the project covers a substantial area of 31,367 hectares. The property is situated within the Central Darling Shire, a region traditionally dominated by rangeland grazing (sheep, cattle, and goats) due to its vast, open landscapes.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology. Unlike environmental planting, which involves putting trees in the ground, HIR focuses on assisted regeneration. The project activities involve managing "suppressors", specifically reducing grazing pressure from livestock and feral animals, to allow existing in-situ seed sources, rootstocks, and lignotubers to regenerate into permanent native forest. The goal is to restore forest cover (canopy density of at least 20% at a height of 2 metres) to land where vegetation was previously suppressed for at least 10 years.

Environmentally, the region is classified as semi-arid to arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 250mm. The terrain typically consists of the Mulga Lands bioregion characteristics, featuring red sandy loams, red earths, and stony tablelands. The vegetation is likely dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura) and other hardy native shrub species capable of withstanding significant dry spells.

A unique feature of Klondyke Station is its dual land use. In addition to the carbon project and pastoral operations, the property hosts the "Klondyke Range Complex," a private military test and evaluation facility owned by the Lightforce Group (via Paroo Pastoral Company). This facility is used for testing defense equipment, including long-range ballistics. The exclusion of livestock required for safety during defense testing likely creates a synergistic effect with the carbon project's requirement to manage grazing pressure, thereby aiding vegetation recovery. The project proponent, AI Carbon Projects No 3 Pty Ltd, is a special purpose vehicle managed by Australian Integrated Carbon (AI Carbon), a major developer that partners with landholders to manage ACCU generation.