North Kimberley Pastoral Lease Carbon Abatement

North Kimberley Pastoral Lease Carbon Abatement is a savanna burning project located in the remote North Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project area covers approximately 844,115 hectares, primarily encompassing the Theda and Doongan pastoral stations. These properties are situated along the Kalumburu Road, roughly 250km west of Kununurra and south-west of Wyndham.

Registered in February 2014, the project operates under the Savanna Fire Management methodology. This involves transitioning the landscape from a pattern of high-intensity, late dry season wildfires to a managed regime of cool, early dry season burns. By strategically burning early in the year (typically before August), the project reduces the fuel load, thereby preventing the uncontrollable, hot fires that release significant amounts of methane and nitrous oxide later in the season.

The North Kimberley region is characterized by a tropical savanna climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The area receives high rainfall during the monsoonal wet season (November to April), followed by a long, dry winter. The terrain is rugged and diverse, featuring sandstone escarpments, open woodlands, and grasslands. The soils are predominantly sandy or skeletal soils over sandstone, with some clay and loam found in valley floors and alluvial plains.

While the land is held under pastoral leases, the proponent, Dunkeld Pastoral Co. Pty. Ltd. (associated with the family of prominent barrister Allan Myers), manages the properties with a strong focus on conservation alongside low-intensity grazing. The project was originally known as "Ecofire-North Carbon Abatement" and involved the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) during its initial development, highlighting its significance for biodiversity protection in a region known for its rich native wildlife.