Raak Nguunge

Raak Nguunge is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire on the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. The project area covers approximately 420,652 hectares, situated roughly 35km northeast of the Pormpuraaw township. It was registered in October 2014 and is managed by the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council.

Savanna Fire Management projects in the high rainfall zone involve strategic, planned burning during the early dry season (typically January to July) to reduce the fuel load. This practice limits the intensity and spread of late dry season wildfires, thereby reducing emissions of methane and nitrous oxide. The methodology mimics traditional Indigenous fire practices, shifting the fire regime from destructive hot fires to cooler, patchier burns.

The region experiences a tropical monsoonal climate with a distinct wet season (November to April) and dry season, classifying it as a "high rainfall" zone for savanna burning purposes (typically receiving over 1,000mm annually). The landscape is characterized by extensive coastal wetlands and dune fields transitioning into tropical savannas. Soil types in the region are diverse, predominantly consisting of Kandosols (red, yellow, and grey earths) inland, with Tenosols (sandy soils) and Hydrosols (wetland soils) common near the coast.

"Raak Nguunge" translates to "burning season" in the local Kuuk Thaayorre language. The project is implemented in close collaboration with the Pormpuraaw Land & Sea Management Rangers, providing employment and supporting cultural connection to Country. Beyond carbon abatement, the project protects sensitive habitats, including nesting sites for threatened species such as the Olive Ridley and Flatback turtles, by preventing high-intensity fires from damaging dune vegetation.