'Bulimba Station - Cool Burn Fire Project

Bulimba Station - Cool Burn Fire Project is a savanna fire management project located at Bulimba Station, situated near the Mitchell River approximately 220km west of Mareeba and north of Chillagoe in Far North Queensland. It was registered in November 2024 and covers a substantial 112,477.29 hectares.

Savanna fire management projects operating under the Sequestration and Emissions Avoidance methodology involve conducting strategic "cool burns", low-intensity fires ignited early in the dry season. This controlled burning reduces heavy fuel loads, which helps prevent destructive, high-intensity wildfires later in the year. Uniquely, this specific method allows the project to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for both avoiding greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane and nitrous oxide, and sequestering carbon in preserved dead organic matter like logs and coarse woody debris.

The landscape is characteristic of the Einasleigh Uplands and Gulf Plains, a region predominantly used for pastoral cattle grazing. Environmentally, the project falls within the savanna "low rainfall zone," typically receiving between 600mm and 1,000mm of rainfall annually. The local soils vary widely, ranging from massive red earths to sandy loams and grey clays near river systems.

An interesting aspect of this project is its integration of traditional Aboriginal fire knowledge with modern techniques, utilizing aerial incendiary capabilities to create firebreaks and rotating mosaic patterns that target 3-to-5-year grass cycles. Supported by Maki Planet Systems and managed by Corporate Carbon Advisory Pty Ltd, the initiative is implemented alongside the Traditional Owners of Bulimba Station (such as the Uwoykand Tribal Aboriginal Corporation). This approach empowers Traditional Owners in ongoing land stewardship while actively supporting biodiversity protection and reducing destructive fire occurrences across the estate.