Gondwana Carbon and Alka Bawar (Kalpowar) Aboriginal Corporation partner to strengthen Indigenous-led carbon initiatives
Sydney (NSW) & Cooktown (QLD) – 7 May, 2025: Gondwana Carbon, driving impact through innovative natural capital solutions, becomes the natural carbon advisor of Alka Bawar (Kalpowar) Aboriginal Corporation.
Kalpowar is the Traditional Owner–led organisation managing the Northern Savanna Project (Project ID 104944), which uses cultural fire practices to reduce late dry season wildfire risk. Although the agreement was finalised in April 2025, today marks the public launch of this exciting collaboration.
Traditional Owners use fire management techniques passed down over more than 60,000 years, applying cultural burning practices to create a patchwork of controlled burns known as fire scars. This traditional approach reduces fuel loads and lowers fire intensity, significantly decreasing the risk of destructive wildfires later in the season.
The project is based on Kalpowar Station on the Northern Cape Peninsula, about five hours north of Cairns in Queensland, in a region that receives around 1,000 millimetres of rainfall annually. With limited job opportunities in the area, where roughly two-thirds of the population is Indigenous, the project also plays a vital role in supporting local employment and cultural land management.
“We have taken the young ones back onto the land and showed them how to look after their Country. It’s really about three things: looking after Country in our traditional ways, providing employment and new tech training for our mob and working with our neighbours and others using a common approach. The project has also allowed us to work with neighbouring Indigenous mobs to prepare and manage fire together. Last year, we had a few young rangers from us, along with five from Munthi and another two from the other neighbouring land. We want to do more of that this year and two weeks ago we have our first joint trip out onto Country to prepare for the early season burning. We are trying to get Country back to where it was before,” said Michael Ross Jr., Chairman & Director of Alka Bawar (Kalpowar).
Through this project, Traditional Owners are not only returning to Country but also reintroducing traditional ways of managing and caretaking of land that has been theirs since the beginning. Previously, the community lacked resources to conduct early-season burning and woody picking—activities they’ve long wished to resume. Thanks to the ACCU scheme, these aspirations are now a reality, enabling proactive and collaborative action.
As a natural carbon advisor, Gondwana Carbon supports Kalpowar across the full carbon project cycle – from ongoing project management support and compliance reporting to the trading of ACCUs. This collaboration ensures the community maintains control and transparency while maximising the environmental and financial outcomes of their project.
The team at Kalpowar actively sought a corporate partner whose values aligned with their own, and who would help ensure that most of the project revenue stayed within the community. Centred on a foundation of fairness, transparency, and long-term benefit, Gondwana Carbon empowers Indigenous communities to lead, shape, and benefit from projects that respect cultural practices, reflect community priorities, and create meaningful economic and environmental impact.
Gerry Dyer, CEO at Gondwana Carbon, said: “We’re deeply honoured to partner with Alka Bawar (Kalpowar) Aboriginal Corporation and support the incredible work happening on Country. Our mission is to ensure that Indigenous communities are not just included in climate solutions—they’re leading them. Projects like this demonstrate how cultural knowledge, environmental stewardship, and economic opportunity can come together to create lasting impact. We see this partnership as the beginning of a long-term journey built on respect, trust, and shared purpose. We’re excited to walk alongside Traditional Owners as they care for Country in ways that blend thousands of years of knowledge with today’s natural capital opportunities.”
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About Gondwana Carbon
Gondwana is an ambitious climate advisor for carbon and biodiversity markets, with over 150+ years of relevant experience with unparalleled insights and connectivity. By providing end-to-end natural capital and decarbonisation services, it supports communities in realising their nature-based potential through collective assessment, financial modelling, go-to-market strategies, and revenue delivery.
It was founded by seasoned carbon and environmental industry experts, banking, finance and legal professionals, and public sector leaders, with the aim to maximise economic, social and environmental outcomes to provide maximum value to the landholder and commercial partner in Australia and the Pacific.
For more information, visit www.gondwanacarbon.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
