Shaster Downs Permanent Bluegum Plantation

Shaster Downs Permanent Bluegum Plantation is a plantation forestry project located at Munglinup, approximately 130km west of the regional centre of Esperance in Western Australia. It was registered in March 2025 and covers 341.45 hectares. The Munglinup and wider Ravensthorpe area is heavily utilised for agriculture, particularly broadacre cereal cropping and livestock grazing, as well as commercial forestry operations like bluegum tree farms.

Plantation forestry projects of this type involve transitioning an existing short-rotation plantation forest into a permanent planting. This methodology dictates that a commercial plantation, which is at risk of being harvested or converted back to non-forested agricultural land, is instead protected and retained in the ground to permanently store carbon. A 100-year permanence period has been nominated for this project to ensure long-term carbon sequestration.

The Munglinup region experiences a Mediterranean climate with semi-arid to moderate rainfall, receiving an average of roughly 430mm annually. Soils in the area are typically nutrient-deficient and consist of white gravelly sands, grey sandy duplexes, and brown loam duplex soils. These duplex profiles commonly feature sandy topsoils layered over clay subsoils.

This project was established with deep cultural and ecological significance. The proponent, The Tijuk Foundation Pty Ltd, is a trust entity managed by the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC), representing the Wudjari Traditional Owners. Backed by an impact loan from Bank Australia, ETNTAC acquired the Shaster Downs property to support First Nations-led land ownership and stewardship. This allows the traditional owners to heal Country, protect ecological values, and secure sustainable community livelihoods through regenerative carbon farming.