Jumbuck Pastoral Savanna Burning Project (Revoked)

The Jumbuck Pastoral Savanna Burning Project (Revoked) was a large-scale emissions avoidance project located across two distinct pastoral regions in northern Australia: the West Kimberley in Western Australia and the Victoria River District in the Northern Territory. Registered in April 2016 and covering a massive 1,419,957 hectares, the project area corresponded to major cattle stations owned by Jumbuck Pastoral, specifically Blina Station (east of Derby, WA) and Killarney Station (west of Katherine, NT).

The project operated under the Savanna Fire Management methodology, specifically designed for the "low rainfall" zone (600–1000mm annual rainfall). This method involves conducting strategic "cool burns" during the early dry season (typically January to July) to reduce the fuel load. By doing so, landholders aim to prevent high-intensity, uncontrolled wildfires in the late dry season, which release significantly more greenhouse gases. The region is characterized by tropical savanna vegetation, with distinct wet and dry seasons, and soils ranging from red earth to clay loams suitable for extensive cattle grazing.

Despite its scale, the project was voluntarily revoked in March 2017, less than a year after registration. The proponent, Commonwealth Hill Proprietary Limited, is a subsidiary of the prominent MacLachlan family's Jumbuck Pastoral Company. It is worth noting that while the proponent entity bears the name "Commonwealth Hill" (referencing the family's historic South Australian station), the project itself took place on their northern properties, as the arid South Australian land is ineligible for savanna burning methods. The revocation suggests a strategic realignment or a reassessment of the project's viability under the 2015 methodology.