Yarraden Station

Yarraden Station is a Savanna Burning project located on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, approximately 108km south of the township of Coen and 70km west of Laura. Registered in December 2014, the project covers a vast area of approximately 118,807 hectares. The property is a pastoral lease situated within the Cook Shire, operating primarily as a cattle station while integrating carbon farming activities.

The region experiences a tropical savanna climate characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. It falls within a high rainfall zone, receiving median monsoonal rainfall of around 1,150mm, primarily between December and March. The terrain features a mix of flat plains and ridges, with soils generally consisting of clayey sands, loams, and lateritic red earths typical of the Cape York landscape. These environmental conditions support open eucalypt woodlands and native grass understoreys, which are prone to high-intensity wildfires during the late dry season.

Savanna burning projects involve strategic fire management to shift the seasonality of burning. By conducting controlled, "cool" burns during the early dry season (when vegetation is still moist), the project aims to reduce the fuel load and prevent large, uncontrollable, and high-emission wildfires later in the year. This shift reduces the release of methane and nitrous oxide, potent greenhouse gases, compared to the baseline of unmanaged late-season fires.

An interesting aspect of this project is its corporate structure and history. The project is currently held by Umlilo Holdings Pty Ltd as trustee for the CC Stage 3 Agricultural Trust, an entity established by the Corporate Carbon Group to acquire and manage a portfolio of cattle stations for carbon abatement. The station is part of an aggregation that includes the neighboring Holroyd River and Crystalvale stations. Previously, the project was managed by Country Carbon Pty Ltd, which entered into an enforceable undertaking with the Clean Energy Regulator in 2020 regarding project operations, before the project was transferred to the current proponent.