Mt Doreen Human-Induced Regeneration Project

The Mt Doreen Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a large-scale carbon farming initiative located on Mount Doreen Station, approximately 320 kilometers northwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Registered in September 2023, the project encompasses a massive area of 740,458 hectares. The region is situated on the edge of the Tanami Desert and is primarily used for pastoral activities, specifically serving as one of the largest certified organic cattle stations in Central Australia.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects focus on restoring native forest cover through changes in land management rather than direct planting. In this context, the project proponent, Crown Point Pastoral Company, manages the timing and extent of cattle grazing to reduce pressure on vegetation. This allows suppressed native plant species, such as Mulga (Acacia aneura) and other acacia varieties, to regenerate naturally from in-situ seed sources, rootstocks, and lignotubers.

The environmental conditions at Mount Doreen are typical of the semi-arid Central Australian outback. The area receives low and variable rainfall, averaging around 300mm annually. The landscape is characterized by vast red earth plains, sandy soils, and rocky outcrops, including the notable Vaughan Springs quartzite ranges. These soil types support hardy, drought-resistant native vegetation which the project aims to protect and expand.

Crown Point Pastoral Company, the project proponent, is owned by prominent pastoralists Viv Oldfield and Donny Costello, who are among Australia's largest private landholders. They acquired Mount Doreen Station in 2022 from the Braitling family, who had held the lease since 1932. The station is renowned for its high-quality organic beef production, and this carbon project integrates sustainable grazing practices with carbon sequestration revenue streams.