Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve Savanna Burning Project

The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve Savanna Burning Project is a savanna fire management project located on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. The project area, covering approximately 135,909 hectares, is situated roughly 60km northeast of the bauxite-mining town of Weipa. Registered in October 2015, the project operates on land formerly known as Bertiehaugh Station, which was acquired by the Irwin family and the Australian Government to be managed as a conservation property in honor of the late Steve Irwin.

This project operates under the 2015 Savanna Fire Management methodology, specifically designed for the high rainfall zone (areas receiving over 1000mm of annual rainfall). The core activity involves conducting strategic, planned burns during the early dry season (typically January to July) when vegetation is still moist. These "cool" burns create fire breaks and reduce the fuel load, thereby preventing large-scale, high-intensity wildfires during the late dry season. By shifting the fire regime, the project reduces the emission of potent greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide that are released by hotter, uncontrolled fires.

The region is characterized by a tropical monsoonal climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The landscape features a complex mosaic of ecosystems, including heathlands, rainforests, and wetlands, underpinned by extensive bauxite plateaus. The soil profile is dominantly lateritic red earth and bauxite, a geological feature that historically attracted mining interests. The reserve is also bounded by the Wenlock River, which is noted for having the highest diversity of freshwater fish of any Australian river.

An interesting aspect of this project is its dual role in carbon abatement and conservation defense. Following its establishment as a wildlife reserve, the land faced a significant threat from a proposed strip-mining operation for bauxite. The Irwin family, led by Terri Irwin, successfully campaigned against this development, resulting in the area being declared a "Strategic Environmental Area." Today, the carbon project funding supports the ongoing management of the reserve, which serves as a sanctuary for apex predators like the saltwater crocodile and provides a research hub for scientists studying the unique "perched bauxite springs" ecosystem found there.