Watson River Station

Watson River Station is a Savanna Fire Management project located on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. The property is situated approximately 140km southeast of Weipa by road (75km by air) and lies inland from the indigenous community of Aurukun. Registered in August 2015, the project covers a vast area of approximately 89,379 hectares.

The project operates under the Savanna Fire Management methodology. This involves strategically igniting cool, patchy fires during the early dry season (typically January to July) to reduce the fuel load. This practice prevents the outbreak of high-intensity, uncontrolled wildfires in the late dry season, thereby reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions (methane and nitrous oxide) and sequestering carbon in dead organic matter.

The region is characterized by a tropical monsoonal climate with a distinct high rainfall season, averaging around 1,500mm to 1,600mm annually. The landscape consists of open forest country with soils that are primarily a mix of sandy loams and clays, which are noted to be naturally phosphorous-deficient. The land is actively used for pastoral purposes, specifically running a herd of Brahman breeder cattle.

A notable aspect of this project is its integrated management; the property was acquired by the project proponent, Corporate Carbon (via its agricultural arm, Paniri Agricultural Co), moving it from a standard client-aggregator relationship to an owner-operator model. Furthermore, parts of the property have been formally declared a Nature Refuge by the Queensland and Australian governments, highlighting its biodiversity value alongside its carbon abatement role.