Central Australian Carbon Regeneration Project

The Central Australian Carbon Regeneration Project is a massive Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) initiative located in the Far North region of South Australia, immediately south of the Northern Territory border. Situated on the Tieyon pastoral lease, the project covers an expansive 376,683 hectares. The site is remote, located approximately 40 kilometers southeast of the nearest settlement, Kulgera (NT), and roughly 450 kilometers south of Alice Springs. The surrounding region is predominantly used for extensive pastoral grazing, with cattle stations covering vast tracts of the arid rangelands.

This project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which involves implementing changes in land management to facilitate the regrowth of native forests. To meet the method's requirements, the proponent must suppress activities that previously prevented regeneration, specifically, by managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing and controlling feral animals such as camels and horses. The goal is to allow native vegetation to recover to a point where it achieves forest cover (at least 20% canopy cover and a height of 2 meters).

The environment in this part of Central Australia is classified as arid, with the nearby Kulgera weather station recording a low mean annual rainfall of approximately 250mm. The landscape is defined by red earth and sandy soils, often supporting hardy vegetation types such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Ironwood, and Spinifex grasslands. The terrain consists of gently undulating plains interspersed with granite outcrops and inselbergs typical of the region south of the Musgrave Ranges.

Notably, the project proponent, RegenCo Projects Pty Ltd (formerly Central Australian Carbon Pty Ltd), purchased the pastoral lease in 2019 to implement a "dual operational model" that integrates sustainable cattle grazing with carbon farming. RegenCo is known for utilizing advanced monitoring technologies, including airborne LiDAR and satellite spectral mapping, to precisely baseline and track vegetation growth across the property. The project also operates under an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with the Tjayuwara Unmuru Aboriginal Corporation.