 About the region: One of the most remote areas on earth, the Gulf region is that part of the Northern Territory which borders on the Gulf of Carpentaria, a large, warm and shallow body of water that separates the north of Australia from Papua New Guinea. Home to some of Australia's largest cattle stations, some of them the size of a small European country, it's here where those in the know come to enjoy a little solitude and some of the best fishing in Australia. Over 20 rivers drain into the gulf, its mangrove lined shores are very sparsely populated due to its isolation. All of this makes the Gulf an incredibly productive destination for fly fishing and sports fishing alike.
Over 50 different species can be caught in the pristine waters surrounding Groote Eylandt, for example. They include over five species of trevally, queenfish, blue and threadfin salmon, parrot fish, long-nosed emperor, cod, chinaman, saddle tail and scarlet snapper, spangled emperor, mackerel, permit, tarpon, salmon, mangrove jack and much more. The region is also the home of many large and small Estuarine Crocodiles and is one of Australia's best prawn fishing areas.
Limmen National Park: Tucked away in a seldom-visited corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria west of Borroloola, this Park is a must-do stop on the trans-continental Savannah Way that crosses the top half of Australia between Cairns and Broome. It's a remote and rugged place steeped in culture and history, with spectacular weathered sandstone formations, and intervening alluvial valleys, numerous rivers and wetlands. It is one of the Territory's best kept secrets, so you won't have to share it all with hundreds of other tourists.
Wearyan River and falls
Borroloola: 52 km from the Gulf of Carpentaria coast, Borroloola is a small town with a colourful past. Its story is told in the old Police Station, which is now a museum. The surroundings are beautiful, with clear rivers and swimming holes like those on the Wearyan River, Batten Creek and Bone Lagoon. Fishing in the Macarthur River is one of the best in the Territory, a competition is held each year to catch the largest barramundi, earning Borroloola a reputation among sports fisherman.
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Groote Eylandt: Groote Eylandt, the third largest Australian island, is unique place with a very diverse environment – pristine beaches, spring water swimming holes, open woodland, rainforest, red sand dunes, the aqua waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria and rock art which is thousands of years old. Fishing anywhere in the Gulf at any time of year is amongst the best in the world, and Groote Eylandt is no exception. Surrounding the island is a marine environment with fabulous reef systems and rich recreational fisheries.
The Lost City: The Abner Ranges are home to this impressive towering sandstone formations, covering an area of approximately 8 square km, known as the Lost City. These amazing natural skyscraper-like rocks were formed over 1.4 billion years ago, fashioned by years of erosion by what was once an inland sea. Helicopter flights from Cape Crawford which land in the Lost City give access to 4WD tours of the area and its abundant natural attractions.
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Poppy's Pool
Cape Crawford: Cape Crawford is surrounded by savannah woodland, rock escarpments, waterfalls and waterholes like Poppy’s Pool, a cool oasis in the Australian Outback. Contrary to it’s name, Cape Crawford is not located beside the ocean, but some 110 kms South-West of Borroloola.
Barranyi National Park: Situated in the Gulf of Carpentaria, this park one of the Northern Territory's most remote visitor destinations. This peaceful wilderness haven within the Sir Edward Pellew Group of islands is owned by the Yanyuwa Aboriginal people, who live in the area. Special features of the island park include long sandy beaches like Paradise Bay, a glorious white stretch ideal for walking, beachcombing and birdwatching. Amateur fishermen revel in the abundant fish resources available in the waters around Barranyi National Park.
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The best time to go: If you contemplating visiting the Gulf region for the fishing, the main fishing season varies according to species but generally it is April to November due to the wet season over December to March. Permit and Tarpon are best fished between May and October. Most of the other more common fly targeted species, some of which are mentioned above, are more active during the warmer months.
The most pleasant times to visit the Gulf Country are from late March until mid October. During this time, south-east winds prevail over the gulf and can sometimes blow up to 25 knots in the morning and drop off to dead calm in the afternoon. These winds can be chilly at night so from May to September it is advisable to bring at least a warm jacket and jeans for evenings.
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Natural Attractions
Misc. Places of Interest
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How to get there: by road: nine hour drive from Darwin or six from Katherine to Borroloola, along the Savannah Way (Barkly Highway). Savannah Aviation service the region fro bases in Burketown, Normanton, Borroloola and Mt. Isa. Charter operations from Cairns, Townsville, Darwin, Alice Springs and Cape York.
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Brief history:
In 1643, Dutch navigator Abel Tasman examined the coastline of the Gulf of Carpentaria near where Borroloola stands today to determine if there was a seaway through to the Pacific. Limmen Bight is named after one of Tasman's three ships (the others were the Zeemeeu and Braq). Explorer Ludwig Leichhardt passed through the area in 1845 on his way from the Darling Downs, in Queensland, to Port Essington on Cobourg Peninsula. Leichhardt named the McArthur River although it is unclear whom he was honouring. In 1856, Sir Augustus Charles Gregory explored the Victoria River district and the area south-west of present-day Borroloola and pastoralists soon followed.
The principal stock route through the Northern Territory and Kimberley was opened up in 1872 when Dillon Cox drove 400 head of cattle from Queensland to a telegraph supply depot on the Roper River. The establishment of the stock route led to the establishments of supply points and towns on the way, one of which was Borroloola. By the turn of the century Borroloola had gained a fierce reputation as a frontier town, a reputation it only lost when the town became a virtual ghost town in the 1930s. Over the years Borroloola has been a haven for eccentrics, a fact immortalised in the bush song about the town recorded by Rolf Harris.
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