Corporate Carbon Group’s Crystalvale Station declared a Nature Refuge by the Australian and Queensland Governments

Photo of a riparian creek at Crystalvale Nature Refuge by Paul Barden

Corporate Carbon Group’s Cape York property, Crystalvale, has been declared a Nature Refuge by the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI).

Part of Queensland’s expansive network of private protected areas, both Crystalvale and Gunn Agri Cattle’s Abingdon Downs North Nature Refuge—also officiated today—are helping to protect critical habitat for threatened animals and plants of Far North Queensland, including the diadem leaf-nosed bat, and the Cooktown Orchid, as well as the land’s cultural heritage.

The Queensland and the Australian governments are jointly funding the two nature refuge projects, which, together, support the protection of more than 300,000 hectares of land.

“We have set an ambitious target to protect and conserve 30% of our land and 30% of our oceans by 2030,” noted The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water. “That’s a big task, and it will take governments, First Nations groups, communities, business, and industry working together.”

“Creating a ~500 000 ha continuous ecological corridor across three Cape York properties, this declaration and associated funding allows us to investigate and protect the cultural and ecological values of this land,” added Dr. Kate Dodds, an ecologist and Corporate Carbon Group’s Head of Advisory Services.