Welcome to Carpentaria Shire – where the Outback meets the Sea.  Carpentaria Shire is located on the Savannah Way in North Western Queensland in the south eastern region of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The region is uniquely placed to offer residents and visitors opportunities and experiences in lifestyle, holidays, employment and investment opportunities.  Carpentaria Shire has a friendly, laid-back lifestyle and is a place where children still ride their bikes down to the river to go fishing after school without parents having to worry as they would in the larger towns and cities.

Carpentaria Shire is the traditional country of the Gkuthaarn, Kukatj and Kurtijar people. The Shire covers an area of approximately 65,000 square kilometres and has a population of approximately 2,100 with the countryside ranging from vast inland plains to mangrove forests, deltas and saltpans along the coastal areas of the Gulf.

The Gulf’s wetland areas (covering 545,000 hectares) are the largest continuous estuarine wetland area in Northern Australia and are acknowledged as having national and international significance. The Gulf plains have been identified as an Important Bird Area supporting large breeding populations of the vulnerable Sarus Crane with more than 1% of the global population of Brolga, Black-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Eastern Curlew, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lesser Sand Plover, Grey-tailed Tattler, Little Curlew, Pied Oystercatcher, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint and Black-winged Stilt along with the near threatened Australian Bustard.  (Birdlife International). The area lies on major bird migration routes including South East Asia, Siberia, Alaska and New Guinea.

Carpentaria Shire has a diverse industry base with agriculture, fishing, mining and tourism and government administration providing the majority of the Shire’s income. Normanton is the region’s government and administrative centre with much of the Shire’s commercial activity coming through Karumba which has an active port based around export of zinc and lead and live cattle to Asia and a substantial fishing industry which targets prawns, barramundi, Spanish Mackerel, salmon and mud crabs. (Gulf Savannah Development).

The region offers good infrastructure and facilities with sealed access roads, well-serviced airports, developed freight routes, primary and secondary schools, medical services, recreational and sporting facilities and the standard infrastructure to be expected in a modern community.

Carpentaria Shire Council’s Vision is “Experience Carpentaria Shire - a great place to live, work, invest and relax”.  Whether you want to visit Carpentaria Shire, have a specific question about Council’s services, or you are thinking about a permanent move we welcome your inquiry and look forward to being of service to you. If you would like any further information, please contact us.