Aire River Restoration Project

Aire River Restoration Project is an environmental planting project located in the Otway Ranges, south-west of the Beech Forest township in Victoria, and approximately 45km south of Colac. Registered in February 2026, the project covers a total area of 215.34 hectares, with approximately 170 hectares dedicated to active reforestation.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM) Methodology Determination 2024. Environmental planting projects involve establishing and maintaining permanent native forests on previously cleared land. Standard requirements dictate planting native tree and shrub species at a sufficient density (typically at least 200 stems per hectare) to achieve forest cover, meaning a minimum 20% crown cover and a height of at least two metres at maturity. This specific project uses a mix of native species that reflect the structure and composition of the local Ecological Vegetation Class, including restoring elements of the threatened Cool Temperate Rainforest community.

The Beech Forest area and the broader Colac Otway Shire have a rich history of dairy farming, beef cattle grazing, potato cropping, and timber forestry operations. The local environment boasts some of the highest rainfall in Victoria, averaging over 1,500mm annually. Its soils are predominantly deep, freely draining loams and clay loams, which perfectly support the area's lush rainforests and dense canopy growth.

Led by the Barwon Region Water Corporation, this initiative was established to create nature-based carbon offsets and help the water authority achieve its net zero emissions target by 2030. It is anticipated that the project will sequester up to 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over 25 years. Beyond carbon sequestration, the project aims to extend the natural biodiversity of the adjacent Great Otway National Park on Eastern Maar Country, planting up to 80,000 native tubestock by 2027. This will permanently provide new, locally sourced habitat for up to 35 threatened plant and animal species.