Merluna Station

Merluna Station is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the heart of the Cape York Peninsula, approximately 120km southeast of Weipa, Queensland. Registered in September 2014, the project operates across a massive 169,639-hectare area. The region is traditionally dominated by extensive cattle grazing, and Merluna Station itself is a working cattle property run by the MacLean family. In addition to pastoral operations, the station has diversified into tourism, offering "station stay" accommodation and camping for travelers navigating the rugged Peninsula Development Road.

The project operates under the 2015 Savanna Fire Management methodology, specifically focusing on emissions abatement in the high rainfall zone. This method involves conducting strategic, low-intensity burns during the early dry season (cool burns) to reduce the fuel load of grasses and leaf litter. By actively managing the landscape in this way, the project aims to prevent the occurrence of high-intensity, uncontrolled wildfires in the late dry season, thereby significantly reducing the release of greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere.

Environmentally, the project is situated in a tropical monsoonal climate characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. The landscape features open woodlands and savanna ecosystems supported by soils that are typically deep red earths (kandosols) and sandy loams. The station reports that the carbon project has facilitated a transition to a "Grazing Naturally" philosophy, allowing the owners to eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides while improving soil health and native grass regeneration.

Originally registered under the 2013 methodology, the project transitioned to the 2015 determination in 2017. In 2022, the proponent’s name was updated on the registry from Country Carbon Pty Ltd to Terra Carbon Pty Limited. The revenue from the carbon project has been credited with providing financial stability during drought periods, enabling the landholders to maintain the property for future generations without overstocking the land.