Kondoolka Station

Kondoolka Station is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) carbon project located in the remote Gawler Ranges region of South Australia. The expansive property sits approximately 120km north of the township of Wirrulla and roughly 100km east of the major regional centre of Ceduna. Registered in March 2023, the project covers a significant area of 106,058 hectares. The station operates as a pastoral lease and has historically been associated with running Dorper sheep for meat production, coexisting with the region's conservation efforts.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology, which differs from environmental planting in that it does not involve actively planting new trees. Instead, the project focuses on managing the timing and extent of grazing (primarily by livestock and feral animals) to allow suppressed native vegetation to regenerate naturally. To generate credits, the land must have "forest potential," meaning the regenerating vegetation is capable of achieving 20% canopy cover at a height of 2 meters.

Environmentally, the Gawler Ranges region is classified as semi-arid to arid. The area typically experiences low rainfall, averaging between 200mm and 300mm annually, with hot, dry summers. The landscape is geologically diverse, featuring the characteristic granitic hills of the ranges, transitioning into calcareous plains and sandy dunes. The soils vary from skeletal soils on the ridges to sandy loams and calcareous earths on the plains, supporting vegetation such as saltbush, bluebush, mulga, and mallee woodlands.

The proponent, AI Carbon Projects No 3 Pty Ltd, is a subsidiary of Australian Integrated Carbon (AI Carbon). AI Carbon is a prominent developer in the sector and has received significant investment from major international entities, including Mitsubishi Corporation and Osaka Gas, to expand its portfolio of regeneration projects. The sheer scale of the Kondoolka project highlights the role of large pastoral holdings in Australia's carbon abatement strategy.