Salisbury Downs Human-Induced Regeneration Project

The Salisbury Downs Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a large-scale vegetation project located on the historic Salisbury Downs Station, situated in the Unincorporated Far West Region of New South Wales. The property lies approximately 110 kilometers north of White Cliffs and roughly 70 kilometers southeast of Tibooburra. Registered in August 2023, the project covers a massive 46,248 hectares of pastoral land. The region is traditionally used for extensive sheep and cattle grazing, with the station itself holding significant historical value, having once been part of the portfolio of Sir Sidney Kidman, the legendary Australian "Cattle King," in the early 20th century.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology. This method credits landholders for allowing native forests to regenerate by ceasing suppression activities, primarily by managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing and controlling feral animals like goats and pigs. Unlike planting projects, HIR relies on the germination of existing seed banks (in-situ sources) and rootstock. For Salisbury Downs, the goal is to restore permanent even-aged native forests, likely dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura), native pine, and other semi-arid woody species that have been suppressed by historical land management.

Environmentally, the project area is characterized by an arid to semi-arid climate with low and variable rainfall, averaging approximately 215mm annually at the nearby Tibooburra weather station. The terrain is typical of the Corner Country, featuring extensive red sand dunes interspersed with clay pans, gibber plains, and ephemeral creek channels. The soil profile is predominantly sandy loams on the dunes and heavier clays in the depressions, supporting vegetation such as saltbush, cottonbush, and Mitchell grass alongside the regenerating timber.