Kulliparu Downs Restoration Project

Kulliparu Downs Restoration Project is a large-scale environmental planting project located in the locality of Kulliparu on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. Situated approximately 50km northeast of the coastal town of Elliston and west of Lock, the project was registered in November 2025 and covers a significant area of 3,342 hectares. This region is traditionally associated with dryland agriculture, specifically cereal cropping and sheep grazing, but also borders conservation areas like the Kulliparu Conservation Park.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings - FullCAM 2024 methodology. This specific carbon farming method involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree and shrub species, such as mallee eucalypts, on land that was previously cleared for agriculture. The "FullCAM" designation indicates that carbon abatement is calculated using the Australian Government's Full Carbon Accounting Model software rather than through direct field measurements of tree biomass. To qualify, plantings must typically be established at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover (often defined as reaching over 20% crown cover and 2 meters in height).

Environmentally, the central Eyre Peninsula is classified as a semi-arid region. The area typically receives low to moderate rainfall (approximately 300-400mm annually) and features soils that are often calcareous, sandy loams, or shallow soils over limestone (calcrete). These conditions favor the mallee vegetation communities native to the area. An interesting note regarding this project is its backing by Conscious Investment Management (CIM), which purchased the "Kulliparu Downs" property in early 2025 to facilitate this restoration work in partnership with Canopy Nature Based Solutions (a subsidiary of Greening Australia).