Olive Vale Savannah Burning Project

Olive Vale Savannah Burning Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located at Olive Vale Station, approximately 200km northwest of Cairns and 90km west of Cooktown in the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. It was registered in August 2026 and covers an expansive 126,899.88 hectares.

Savanna fire management projects under the 2026 Sequestration and Emissions Avoidance methodology involve reintroducing controlled, strategic burning during the early dry season. By undertaking planned burning in the high rainfall zone, the project reduces the frequency, severity, and risk of intense, uncontrolled late dry season wildfires. This method not only avoids greenhouse gas emissions but also sequesters carbon in dead organic matter, introducing a sequestration bank to predictably manage the issuance of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).

The Cape York region is predominantly known for large-scale cattle grazing and pastoral operations. The environment is characterised by a tropical monsoonal climate with a distinct wet season (November to April) and a dry season (May to October), placing the project area firmly within the high rainfall zone. Soils across the peninsula are generally nutrient-deficient and impoverished, meaning fire plays a vital natural role in the ecological nutrient cycle by releasing essential phosphorus and nitrogen into the soil.

The project's proponent, Olive Vale Pastoral Pty Ltd, operates the large cattle station on which the project activities take place. Beyond carbon farming and cattle, the station has been involved in diverse agricultural research, partnering in Northern Australian oilseed crop trials and Indigenous native rice commercialisation projects. Historically, the property faced environmental scrutiny from conservation groups regarding the clearing of native vegetation. The project is additionally supported by Carbon Fix Pty Limited, an active Australian carbon project developer managing a varied portfolio of environmental planting and soil carbon projects.