Thargomindah Regeneration Project

Thargomindah Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 10 to 15 kilometers southeast of the township of Thargomindah in South West Queensland. Registered in September 2023, the project covers a significant area of 47,003 hectares situated within the Bulloo Shire. The region is historically known for pastoral grazing activities, specifically cattle and sheep stations, which utilize the native vegetation of the Channel Country.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve regenerating native forests on land where vegetation growth has been suppressed, typically by livestock grazing. To be eligible, the land must have been clear of forest cover for at least 10 years prior to the project. The primary activity for this project is the management of the timing and extent of grazing, allowing native species to regrow and reach permanent forest status.

The environment in the Thargomindah region is classified as semi-arid to arid, with a mean annual rainfall of approximately 285mm. The project area is characterized by the "spectacular red earth" typical of the Mulga Lands bioregion, interspersed with the vast floodplains of the Bulloo River. Consequently, the soil composition varies between red desert loams on the higher ground and alluvial grey cracking clays on the floodplains, which support vegetation such as Gidyea, Eucalypt woodlands, and Mulga shrublands.

A notable feature of this project is its ownership structure and social impact. The project facilitated the acquisition of the Thargomindah Station pastoral lease by the Kullilli Bulloo River Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (KBRAC). This "Return to Country" achievement allows the Traditional Owners, the Kullilli people, to manage the land for both economic sustainability and cultural preservation, protecting significant sites including ancestral burial sandhills.