Kestrel Environmental Plantings Project

The Kestrel Environmental Plantings Project is an environmental planting initiative located approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Emerald in the Central Highlands of Queensland. Registered in September 2025, the project covers a substantial area of 1,413 hectares within the Bowen Basin, a region heavily utilised for coal mining and cattle grazing. The project site is situated near the existing Kestrel Mine operations, placing it in a landscape characterised by open plains and dryland cropping.

Operating under the 2024 Environmental Plantings methodology, the project involves establishing a permanent mix of native tree and shrub species. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the plantings must achieve forest cover and be maintained permanently (usually for 25 or 100 years), with carbon abatement calculated using the FullCAM model. The input data indicates the species mix has been selected to replicate the local native vegetation community, which typically includes species such as Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) or Eucalypt woodlands depending on the specific soil constraints.

The region experiences a sub-tropical, semi-arid climate with rainfall heavily weighted toward the summer months, averaging around 600mm annually. The soils in this area are predominantly fertile, cracking clays (Vertosols) and loams, which are excellent for moisture retention but can be challenging for establishing vegetation during dry spells. This project appears to be a key component of Kestrel Coal’s broader decarbonisation and land management strategy, complementing their existing efforts to manage fugitive emissions and rehabilitate land.