Koolburra Station (Revoked)

Koolburra Station (Revoked) is a Savanna Fire Management project located at Koolburra Station, approximately 65km north of Laura and 320km north of Mareeba on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. It was registered in September 2013 and covers an expansive 160,907.50 ha.

Savanna fire management projects involve the strategic, planned burning of savanna areas during the cooler early dry season. This managed reduction of fuel loads decreases the risk and severity of intense, uncontrolled late dry season wild fires, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and nitrous oxide.

The surrounding region is predominantly used for pastoral grazing, with Koolburra Station functioning as a large cattle holding adjoining Lakefield National Park. The environment experiences a monsoonal, tropical savanna climate with high average rainfall of approximately 1,500mm per year. The property features diverse soils, including melon hole black soil plains, sandy loam, river loam, clay, and sand ridges dotted with bloodwood and ironwood trees.

Koolburra Station was one of the first properties in Cape York to adopt early savanna burning for carbon abatement. In a 2014 submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications, the station owners noted they successfully prevented late dry season burns in 2013, abating approximately 10,500 tonnes of emissions. However, they faced severe cash flow challenges due to administrative time constraints and delays with Northern Australia Fire Information (SAVBAT) mapping, which held up their credit issuance. Although the project ultimately received 10,458 ACCUs, it was revoked on February 13, 2015, under section 33 of the CFI Rule. Additionally, the project's proponent, Country Carbon Pty Ltd, later entered into an Enforceable Undertaking with the Clean Energy Regulator in May 2020.