Gulf Country updated  02/04/04 17:59:03 +0100

This region covers an area of roughly 500,000 square kilometres, reaching from the Mitchell River halfway up Cape York (Queensland) to Roper River (Northern Territory).

The region's northern edge is marked by the Gulf of Carpentaria while in the south, it includes the ridges around the mining town of Mt Isa.

Only about 40,000 people inhabit this vast and truly remote area, with more than 50% of them living in Mt Isa.

References:  

Hema map "The Top End and Western Gulf" (ISBN 1-875992-61-8)

Gregory's "Queensland in your pocket", map 419 (ISBN 0-7319-0472-0)

The Gulf Country is not a land for travellers looking for awe-inspiring attractions such as the Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock, or the Sydney Opera, to name just a few of the world-famous Australian icons. You won't find any five-star accommodation or Sails-In-The-Desert style resorts around here. 

However, if you want to experience the real Australian Outback, the Gulf Country is one of its hidden gems. You will enjoy to watch the abundant bird life, admire the colours of the parrots, look out for crocodiles, see the golden Spinifex swinging in a balmy breeze. 

You wouldn't expect to wheel along a sealed four lane highway, but it is not the Canning Stock Route either. Be ready to tackle a few bone jarring corrugations and the odd tricky river crossing, depending on the time of your travel. Most roads are gravel, although roads to main centres may even be sealed. During the Wet, most of them are impassable due to flooding, and even on sealed stretches, a 4WD equipped with a snorkel might be the only suitable vehicle.

If you and your vehicle are well prepared, you will enjoy a smooth trip (see trip facts and maps for further info about our own trip "across the top").

The Gulf Country with its numerous rivers and the extended coastline is excellent for fishing, including the delicious Barramundi. Along the Savannah Way, you will find a number of fishing camps and fishing lodges, as well as shops to cater for your needs. At many places, you may even hire boats, all you have to bring is your own rods and lines.

For dinner, you might have your own fish cooked on the Barbie after a pleasant day out on the Gulf of Carpentaria or on one of the numerous river banks. 

If the fish was not nice enough to care for your bait, it is more than likely that one of your camp mates will proudly offer you a fair share of his own spectacular catch of the day.

After sunset, you will listen to your fellow travellers' yarn while you're sitting around the campfire with a can or two of cold beer. 

Amusement is guaranteed when you realize that everybody, except for yourself, had to prove all the skills that a man could possibly have, only to bash their way through the unforgiving bush in order to finally make it to the camp site. 

You definitely qualify as a wimpy city slicker if you have to admit that you never happened to step on the giant head of a lurking monster croc while you were trying to find a peaceful place to cast a line. 

The story goes that in 2003, a party of two proud fishermen, after a day of naturally excellent fishing in the Gulf waters, sat with a coldie in their hands to cool down from their hard job.  

Before long, the first couple of tinnies had only air left in them, and the blokes started to worry about the volume of rubbish that they would have to take with them when leaving the camp site.

The two had no flies on them, so they instantly had the ingenious idea of crushing the empty cans!

Both being excellent sportsmen, they decided that it had to be done in a competition. That's how the competitive beer can crushing, also known as the International Trev-Tor Competition (named after the two inventive bush bashers), became good practice throughout the Australian bush.

Don't hesitate to ask your camp mates about it if you want to know more...

Located on the eastern edge of the Gulf Savannah region, Undara Lava Tubes are at 275 km out of Cairns along the Highway One (Kennedy Hwy/Gulf Developmental Road) to Normanton.

The tubes are renowned to be part of the longest lava flow from a single volcanic crater in the world. Undara is an Aboriginal word meaning 'a long way'. 
The Undara Lava Tubes were formed about 190,000 years ago when a major volcano erupted, its molten lava flowing down a dry river bed. While the top layer quickly cooled and crusted, the magma below continued to flow. 
As the eruption stopped, the lava drained out of the tubes leaving a series of long tunnels. One of the tubes extends 160 kilometres.

Ancient roof collapses created deep, dark and moist depressions where fertile pockets of rainforest can now be seen. 
Throughout the day, Savannah Guides take you on tours that give a unique insight into the geology and ecology of the Undara Volcanic National Park. 

Accommodation is available at Undara. You may choose between the camping area or one of the superb restored railway carriages nestled in the bush. 

Karumba, 30 odd kilometres out of Normanton on a sealed road, is the place to go if you want to watch the spectacular sunset over the Gulf. Bring your fishing gear for a pleasant day out on the sea (boats may be hired on the spot) and finish your day in the Sunset Tavern on the edge of the Gulf to watch the sun drop into the water.

A morning glory is a large cylindrical cloud that moves into the area around sunrise and evaporates in a few hours.

If you are in the Burketown area between August and November, you are most likely to see the morning glory cloud formation.
Like giant tubes, the morning glory clouds will travel across the sky at typical speeds of 40-60 kph. This is when glider pilots forget their wives and kids and only want one thing- be up in the sky! 

Morning glory waves may be more than 1000 kilometres long and several kilometres in height.