Bonnie Doon land restoration project

The Bonnie Doon Land Restoration Project is an environmental planting project located on Dry Creek Road in Bonnie Doon, approximately 20km west of Mansfield in Victoria. Registered in November 2023, the project covers approximately 32.66 hectares of land situated near the Tallangallook-Dry Creek Historic Area. The proponent, Lachlan Cook, has established the project on former agricultural land that consists of rolling hills and steep slopes previously used for grazing.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM) methodology. This method involves establishing permanent native vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the planting must achieve a forest cover density, typically requiring at least 200 stems per hectare for standard tree plantings, though this specific project reportedly involved planting 15,000 stems across the property.

The Bonnie Doon region is characterized by a temperate climate with moderate rainfall, generally averaging around 700mm to 800mm annually, which supports the mixed-species "grassy forest" vegetation typical of the area (including Yellow Box, White Box, and Messmate). The soils in this locality are often sedimentary clay loams, which can be prone to erosion on steeper gradients without vegetation cover.

This project is part of the Victorian Government's "BushBank" program, delivered in partnership with Cassinia Environmental. The proponent has noted that the project is designed to restore biodiversity and habitat for local wildlife, such as the yellow-tailed black cockatoo, while offering a "lifestyle" benefit and carbon yield.