Raak Nguunge

Raak Nguunge is a Savanna Fire Management project located on the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, situated directly within the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal community and approximately 400km northwest of Cairns. It was registered in October 2014 and covers an expansive 420,652.57 ha.

Savanna Fire Management projects involve strategic and planned burning of savanna areas. The standard requirement of this methodology is to conduct controlled, mosaic burns during the early dry season (the tropical winter). This deliberately reduces the fuel load in the landscape, thereby minimizing the risk, intensity, and extent of uncontrolled wild fires that typically occur in the hotter, late dry season. By shifting the fire regime, these projects significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane and nitrous oxide, compared to historical averages.

The Pormpuraaw region is classified as a high rainfall zone, experiencing a distinct tropical monsoonal wet and dry season. The local environment features flat, low-lying coastal topography with predominantly sandy soils and expansive floodplains that are subject to prolonged inundation during heavy wet season rains. The general land use in this remote area consists of traditional Aboriginal land management, nature conservation, and some cattle grazing.

The project's name, "Raak Nguunge", translates to 'burning season' in the local Kuuk Thaayorre language. It is driven by a strong collaboration between the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council and the Pormpuraaw Land & Sea Management Rangers, providing long-term income, stable employment, and funding for community services. The project has successfully delivered on two major carbon abatement contracts, completing a 30,000-tonne contract in 2018 and a 52,000-tonne contract in 2025. Additionally, it underwent a method variation in early 2016, transitioning from an older 2013 determination to the updated 2015 Emissions Abatement through Savanna Fire Management methodology.