M.D.H. Savanna Burning Project (Revoked)

The M.D.H. Savanna Burning Project (Revoked) was a large-scale emissions avoidance project located in the Gulf Country of Queensland. Spanning a massive 1,198,904 hectares, the project area covered a significant portion of the McDonald Holdings (MDH Pty Ltd) pastoral aggregation, specifically aligning with their northern cattle stations such as Dunbar, Rutland Plains, and Iffley. The project's northernmost point (-16.006, 142.069) sits near the Mitchell River delta, approximately 200km northeast of Normanton, while the southern extent (-18.865, 141.308) reaches down towards the Croydon and Cloncurry districts.

Registered in November 2016, the project operated under the Savanna Fire Management methodology. This method generates carbon credits by shifting fire patterns from the late dry season (when fires are intense, destructive, high-emitting) to the early dry season (when fires are cooler, patchy, and self-extinguishing). By conducting strategic aerial and ground burns early in the year, land managers reduce the fuel load and prevent large-scale wildfires later in the season. For a cattle operation like MDH, this activity serves the dual purpose of earning carbon credits and protecting pasture for their herd of approximately 170,000 cattle.

The region is characterized by a tropical savanna climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The environment consists largely of flat, alluvial plains and open woodlands featuring clay and sandy loam soils typical of the Gulf Savannah. The project was classified as operating in the "low rainfall zone" (600–1000mm annually) for accounting purposes, although the northern reaches of the property experience significant monsoonal rainfall.

The project was voluntarily revoked on March 10, 2020, under Section 30 of the CFI Rule, following the termination or lapsing of its carbon abatement contract in 2018. Revocation under this section is often an administrative step taken by proponents to restructure their carbon activities or transfer land to different project arrangements, rather than an indication of non-compliance. MDH Pty Ltd remains one of Australia's largest family-owned beef producers, with a history dating back to 1827.