Fairlight Station

Fairlight Station is a Savanna Fire Management project located on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. The project area covers approximately 104,976 hectares and is situated roughly 70km west of the township of Laura and 320km north of Mareeba. Originally registered in September 2014, the project operates on a large-scale cattle station that has historically been used for breeding and fattening livestock.

The project operates under the 2015 Savanna Fire Management methodology, specifically focusing on the high rainfall zone (>1000mm annual rainfall). The core activity involves strategic hazard reduction burning during the early dry season (cooler months) to limit the fuel load available for high-intensity wildfires in the late dry season. By shifting the fire regime to cooler, more controlled burns, the project reduces the emission of potent greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide that are typically released by uncontrolled hot fires.

Environmentally, the Fairlight Station area is characterized by tropical savanna woodlands featuring ironbark, bloodwood, and tea tree vegetation. The terrain is varied, consisting of river flats, undulating ridges, and hilly broken country. Soil types are diverse, ranging from loamy river flats and yellow clays to red-brown ridge soils and sandy areas in the north. The property features significant frontage to the Palmer River, providing essential water sources for the station's pastoral operations.

An interesting aspect of this project is its administrative history and commercial context. The project was originally registered under a 2013 methodology before transitioning to the 2015 determination. In May 2022, the project proponent changed from Country Carbon Pty Ltd to Terra Carbon Pty Limited. Notably, the property itself was listed for sale in 2024, with marketing materials highlighting the 25-year carbon agreement as a key asset, demonstrating how carbon projects are increasingly integrated into the valuation of Australian agricultural real estate.