Merluna Station

Merluna Station is a Savanna Fire Management project located on the remote Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, approximately 120 kilometres south-east of the mining town of Weipa. It was registered in September 2014 and spans an immense 169,639 hectares. The primary land use in this rugged region is pastoral grazing, with Merluna itself operating as a historic working cattle station and popular outback tourist campground situated just off the Peninsula Development Road.

Savanna fire management projects involve the strategic, planned burning of savanna areas during the early dry season. By deliberately reducing the ground fuel load when conditions are cooler and wetter, the project prevents much larger, higher-emission wild fires from ravaging the landscape during the hotter late dry season.

The Cape York environment where the station is located is classified as a high rainfall area. The soils in this broader region are typically characterised by clayey sands, sandstone outcrops, and the distinctive red bauxite soils common to the Weipa district.

Interestingly, the project has seen several administrative changes since its inception, including a methodology variation in 2017 and a shift in proponent from Country Carbon Pty Ltd to Terra Carbon Pty Limited in 2022. Additionally, in May 2020, the Clean Energy Regulator accepted an Enforceable Undertaking from the previous proponent, Country Carbon. Despite its remote operation, Merluna Station has successfully generated hundreds of thousands of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) while maintaining its pastoral and outback tourism operations. Notably, corporate entities such as Coles Supermarkets Australia have purchased and retired ACCUs from Merluna Station as part of their Climate Active carbon neutral claims for the 2022-23 reporting year.